You and Only You
by Michaelover101
Summary: Her long blonde hair was covering the pillows and her blue eyes, she knew, were a mixture of her own and her father’s. Trory. AU ON HIATUS
1. Prologue

**Title:** You and Only You.  
**Author:** Michaelover101**  
Rating:** M  
**Summary:** _Her long blonde hair was covering the pillows and her blue eyes, she knew, were a mixture of her own and her father's._ Trory. AU  
**Couplings: **Tristan and Rory

**Part 1 - Prologue  
Present_  
_**_  
'Crap... Crap... Crap... Crap... Crap... Oh, I love Lucy.'_ This was the basis of Rory's thoughts on Friday night. She was a twenty-seven-year old woman laying in bed on Friday night watching reruns of _I Love Lucy_. She was a writer for The Hartford Times and was happy with her position. One of her best friends owned the paper and she was able to see him and their other friends from time to time. There was a knock on the door. Rory looked up from her pillow and at the little blonde girl who was rubbing her eyes.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Rory asked as the little girl walked closer.

"My tummy hurts." Rory smiled and patted the space next to her.

"Come on then." The little girl jumped on the bed and got herself comfortable next to her mother. Rory smiled and hugged her daughter to her. Her long blonde hair was covering the pillows and her blue eyes, she knew, were a mixture of her own and her father's. Rory closed her eyes and let the memories come back to her.

**_A.N: _**I know this is short but I just wanted to get background and the point that she has a daughter down. I swear more in the next chapters! I hope you liked it so far.  
LOL, please review! This is my first Trory story, so let me know how I'm doing!


	2. Beginnings

**Part 1: Beginnings**  
**_Past_**

Rory sat back in her beach chair and let the warm sun beat down on her. It didn't take Paris much to convince her that the vacation was much needed. They had just graduated from Yale and were taking much needed time away from the masses and the real world. She already had offers from newspapers like the Hartford Times and Stars Hollow Gazette as well as the New York Times and some other ones. She was thinking about accepting the offer from the Hartford Times, that way she would be able to be closer to her family and maybe write a few articles here and there for her own small town of Stars Hollow. She smiled. Yes, this was the life. Sitting in a beach chair on a warm Bahamas beach with ice coffee in one hand and your best friend sitting next to you.

"Well, aren't you happy." Paris stated sitting down under the shade of the umbrella. She had on a black one piece with a purple wrap around covering the bottom. College and Doyle had made Paris more confident in her body. Rory remembered their Spring Break freshman year. Paris had worn a long white shirt over her bathing suit and had given the evil eye to any boy that looked at her wrong. Now, well, she still gave the evil eye to any boy, but now for different reasons. Rory turned around on her stomach to get a better look at Paris.

"I am. You're happy, aren't you? You're getting married in two months." She said. She watched Paris's smile grow.

"I'm happy. I'm marrying a man that pisses me off constantly and challenges me and always tells me I'm wrong and we all know I've had an urge to throttle the man. What's not to love?"

"We all know it's just for the sex Paris."

"Damn right it is!" Rory laughed as she turned around and opened her book. Yep, life was good.

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Tristan walked the beaches of the Bahamas, nowhere in particular on his mind. He had needed a break from school and surprisingly, his own father had seen that the stress was getting to him and sent him off to relax. He had a month without papers to write, books to study or notes to write. For one whole month he was free form the confines of his house which he had so rightly called Hell. He was away from his alcoholic mother and overbearing father. He sighed. Life was perfect. He passed vendors on the beach and followed the footsteps of people before him.

He looked up and saw a vision which he had seen once before. He smirked. Oh yes, life was completely and utterly perfect he thought as he walked over. He stood over the brunette who was reading. She looked so much different without her Chilton uniform on. Then again, anyone would look different without those uniforms. She had on a blue bikini top that showed off the expanse of her creamy white stomach and short shorts that showed off her legs. He leaned down almost over her and she still didn't notice.

"Mary, Mary quite contrary," He sang in a low voice next to her ear. Rory stiffened, but couldn't help but shiver at the shill that went down her spine when she felt him whisper that. There was only one boy in the world who called her by that name and the last time she had seen him he was getting shipped off to military school. "Rory Gilmore speechless." She turned to face him. He still had that blonde set of hair that was in disarray, his trademark smirk and those dark blues eyes that always made her shiver. Of course, she wasn't going to tell him that.

"Tristan DuGrey. Long time no see." She smiled. Tristan smiled back. It had been so long since he had seen her. "Take a seat." She said pointing to the empty chair next to her. He sat down and stretched his legs in front of him. "So, what have you been up to since military school?" She said setting her sunglasses on the top of her head. Tristan smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Back to your old ways I see."

"No doubt."

"College?"

"Harvard Law. I've got about four more years. You?"

"Yale."

"What, no Harvard?"

"I followed in my Grandfather's footsteps. Yale just seemed to give me what I wanted. Why did you choose Harvard?"

"Dad."

"'Nough said." She laughed.

"So, what are you doing in the Bahamas?"

"Paris and I decided it would be best to get much needed rest before getting back to the real world." Rory responded.

"Paris? As in Geller?" He raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Yep, We're the best of friends now."

"No, I do not want pink! You hear me!" They turned around and saw Paris walking towards them. She was holding her phone to her ear in one hand and a plastic cup in the other. Rory smiled as she walked closer shouting into her cell phone. Paris reached out to give the ice coffee to Rory, but flung her hands out as she yelled more. "So help me god, Doyle! If I see one bit of pink at MY wedding you will be a dead man, you hear me! Dead!" Rory reached for the cup, but Paris kept moving. Tristan smirked at the sight. "Oh empty threats. You hear what this man is saying! I bet you won't say that when you don't get sex during the honeymoon!"

"Paris coffee! Me dying!"

"Tell him I don't want pink!" Paris said to Rory.

"Coffee first."

"Tell him I don't want pink and then you get your coffee." Rory sighed and grabbed the phone.

"Doyle, she doesn't want pink." Rory nodded and okayed at the right points all while keeping her eyes on the cup of coffee. "Look, Doyle.. . Doyle! If Paris doesn't want pink, do you really want to risk your wedding night or week for that matter because you don't want to make your future wife happy?" There was a pause. Rory reached for the coffee. "No pink Doyle." Rory handed Paris the phone and she handed her the coffee.

"Did you hear that Doyle! No pink! Blue is fine. Okay. I love you. Bye." Paris hung up the phone.

"Turn off the phone Paris. We are on vacation. No phones. No boyfriends."

"Hey, I'm the one getting married in two months. Not you."

"Believe me, no one could be happier. Hey, look who I found!" Rory said with a smile.

"I believe I found you, Mary." Rory smiled.

"Well, well, well, look what hell spit out." Rory laughed.

"That was harsh, Paris." Tristan said standing up. Paris rolled her eyes and gave him a hug anyway. They sat down in their chairs. "So you're getting married. Who's the unlucky one?"

"Very mature DuGrey. His name is Doyle. He graduated from Yale last year and is now working for the Hartford Times."

"We're going to be working together in a few months." Rory said.

"You're a writer? What happened to international correspondent?" Tristan asked. Rory shrugged.

"I want to be close to home."

"You have a guy that you don't want to leave." Tristan stated wanting to know if she had a boyfriend. Rory looked away to look at the beach then turned back.

"Not anymore." She said as she slipped on her shoes and got up.

"I'm going for walk. I'll be back in a while." Rory said as she walked away.

"What did I say?" Tristan asked. Paris shook her head.

"It's not my place to tell. It's great seeing you again Tristan. I'm glad you're good." Tristan smirked at Paris.

"Missed me?"

"No, but Rory did. You could tell. Now go ask her." Tristan nodded and went after Rory. She was walking down the beach, her arms wrapped around herself.

"So who's the guy?" He asked as he fell into step with her. "Is it Bag Boy?" Rory laughed.

"No, we broke up three years ago."

"Wow, you two stayed together awhile."

"That was our second time breaking up after you left. The first was because I had this thing for Luke's nephew. It was my bad boy stage. You know, leather jacket, bad ass attitude."

"What happened?"

"He ditched me to be in California to get to know his dad. He left without telling me and broke my heart. Then the second time we broke up I was a bit drunk, cause, well, it's a long story."

"We have time." Tristan said. Rory sighed.

"My grandmother had a Yale Male party. She wanted to set me up with a suitable young gentleman, namely not Dean. And well, a friend of mine, his name is Logan, and a few friends took me out to the pool house and saved me from a very boring party. Dean met me outside and by that time I was a bit tipsy."

"Rory Gilmore tipsy. That's a sight to see." She shoved him lightly. Why was she telling him all this? Telling a guy she hadn't seen in over six years. She sighed, might as well just finish to story.

"I was wearing pearls and heels and a tiara and the guys were outside behind us wanting to meet him and he broke up with me right there in front of everyone. He said he didn't belong in my world."

"What world was that?"

"The socialite world. The world of cocktail parties and limos and jetting off in a moment's notice." Rory shrugged. "I thought I loved him, but I didn't."

"He's an asshole, you deserve better."

"Thanks."

"Welcome. So who's the guy that you just broke up with." She hesitated. Telling him about Dean was one thing, it was her past, but did she really want to pour salt on her fresh wounds. "Don't worry about it, you don't have to tell me." Rory looked up at him. He had grown up. Deep down was still the old Tristan. The cocky, egotistical womanizer. She smiled. It still peeked through every once in while, she could tell by the way he had approached her. But this Tristan was the reformed one.

"You're different." Tristan looked down at her, she sure knew how to change the topic. He decided to drop it for now and went with her way of conversation.

"Is that good or bad?" Rory laughed.

"That's good. I mean you've changed. You're just a teensy bit more mature."

"Thanks. Military school really has that affect."

"Was it hard?"

"Yeah, it was, but I survived. Got some really cool friends down there that I still keep in touch with." Rory smiled.

"Better than Duncan and Bowman?"

"Way better. Have dinner with me." Rory stared at him.

"I don't know, Tristan. I'm not really ready for dating."

"Not a date. Outing between friends." Rory smiled up at him.

"Tristan..." She sighed. What bad could it do? "Just for the record, we were never friends."

"You wound me, Mary." Rory smiled.

"What the hell. Me and Paris are staying at The Atlantis. Meet me at seven." Tristan smiled.

"I'll see you then." Rory nodded and walked the other way.

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**A.N: Okay the next few chapters are going to be set in the past. I just wanted to let you guys know so that you're not reading this and going what the hell is this. So again the next few chapters are all in the Bahamas and some other places! Again, please let me know how I'm doing!****  
Thanks!  
Kassandra**


	3. In Time

**AN: Thanks for the reveiws! Like i siad before this is my first Trory so just let know how I'm doing with it! I want to thank my beta Flynn who gets these done so fast! You're the best! Okay so here's the new part hope you like it!**

**Part 2:**

In Time

Rory scrounged through all of the clothes she had packed. Paris was sitting on her bed, talking to her wedding planner.

"Paris, hang up the phone!" Rory ordered as she held up a red dress. Paris shook her head "Me or the planner?"

"You." She said. "Red is no good. No, not you, Gloria. Look, I'll just call you back." Paris hung up the phone. "Red is too flashy and is more of a touch me-grab me- ravish me sort of a thing." Rory dropped the dress. "How 'bout the blue one? It'll bring out the color of your eyes and it clings to your curves and it's knee length, so it's perfect for what you need it for."

"What do I need it for, Paris?"

"Your date with Tristan."

"It's not a date." Rory said grabbing the dress and going into the restroom to change.

"Rory, the guy loved you in high school." Rory stuck her head out.

"He did not love me."

"You could cut the sexual tension with a knife."

"Sexual tension and love are two different things, Paris."

"It's the same. Why do you think I'm marrying Doyle? Sex." Rory walked out and Paris zipped her up.

"I was kidding about that." Rory said.

"So was I." Paris said. Rory started to put her hair up, but Paris stopped her. "Your hair looks better down." Rory rolled her eyes and put on some lip gloss and blue eye shadow, only to bring out the blue in her eyes even more. She grabbed her purse and put her cell and wallet inside.

"I'll see you later. I have my cell if you need me. Only if you need me. I do not want you to call me for a three way call with Doyle so I can play mediator over what color is best!" Rory said as she opened the door. "'Cause not only is that bad, but it's also dirty!" Paris laughed.

"You're channeling your mother!"

"Hey, the conversation can start off with color palette and turn completely into something else!" She heard Paris laugh and she walked out of the door. She was glad Paris was happy. If any one deserved to be happy it was definitely Paris. She walked out into the lobby and saw Tristan standing there.

"Mary." He said as she walked up to him.

"The name's Rory, Tristan."

"It's four letters and the r's in the same place."

"I'm glad to see you can count and spell. Where are you taking me?"

"Come on." He said putting a hand on the small of her back and leading her outside. They got into his black Viper and he drove off.

"Is this yours?" Rory asked.

"Nah, I've got a red one at home. This is a rental." Rory nodded.

"So, where are you taking me?"

"You'll see." He said. Rory rolled her eyes.

Tristan thought she looked beautiful. That light blue dress ended just above her knees and brought out the blue of her eyes. Her hair falling just above her shoulders. She was still his Mary. He wasn't one to believe in fate, but it was one hell of a coincidence that he ran into her on a beach in the Bahamas. One hell of a coincidence. Not that he was complaining.

"So, what are you doing here, Tristan?" He turned to her.

"Stress of school got to me. The old man saw it and sent me here to relax."

"Your dad?"

"Surprise, right?"

"Yeah, I mean you just don't seem close to your parents."

"I'm not. I was just as surprised when he told me to get some rest for the summer and before classes start up again. What about you? I mean I know you came with Paris, but why?"

"Just 'cause. We just graduated last week and we both got job offers. We just needed time away from the masses."

"You guys already got jobs?"

"Yeah. Hartford Times."

"Right, right, with Paris's soon-to-be husband."

"Right, and she has something lined up with Hartford General."

"She's a doctor?" Rory nodded. "Wow, last time I saw her, the sight of blood made the all mighty Geller faint."

"It still does. Two years ago Doyle got sick. Paris went nowhere near him. She hates sick people and hospitals."

"Yet she's working at one?"

"Yep."

"Good ol' Paris." Rory smiled. He pulled into the parking lot and turned off the car. She took off the seatbelt while he opened her door.

"Thank you." She said getting out of the car.

"You're welcome." He led her to a little café.

"What, no fancy restaurant?" Rory teased. Tristan smiled down at her.

"I thought you'd want to go somewhere more comfortable. If you want I can take you to a fancy place."

"No, I'm good here." Tristan nodded as the waitress led them to a round table in a secluded corner. They ordered their drinks and looked at the menus. Rory looked around. It was a small comfortable little café, the tables all had crimson table clothes with little candles in the center. At the far end was a bar. Rory turned her attention back to her menu.

"So, what's been going on in your life?" Tristan asked putting his menu down. Rory shrugged.

"Not much. My mom got married last year."

"Really. Who to?"

"Luke. He's owns a diner in my hometown. They actually just had a baby about three months ago."

"That sounds great."

"Yeah, I have a little half-brother. His name is Mickey Lucas Danes."

"Very cool."

"Yeah, other than that, not really anything." She said looking back down at her menu. Tristan could see that something had happened, but decided to drop it for now. "What about you? You went to military school?" Tristan leaned back.

"I did. It was tough."

"Really? Wow."

"Yeah. But like I said, I gained some pretty good friends there. And Paris wrote me a few letters as well as Louise and Maddie."

"Sorry I didn't write."

"Don't worry about it. You were with Dean, you hated me. Understandable."

"I didn't hate you, Tristan. I hated the attitude."

"That's the same thing."

"No, it's not. You had a nice side, I've seen it."

"Really?"

"Yes really, I remember I was walking out towards the bus stop after school when some asshole had called Maddie a slut making her cry, and you gave him a black eye."

"Yeah, well, he deserved it for making her cry." The waitress came with their drinks and asked for their orders. They gave her the orders and she walked away.

"You know she's married?" Rory said, taking a sip of her coke.

"Who? The waitress?"

"No, Madeline."

"Oh. Yeah. I went to the wedding."

"I was invited."

"Why didn't you go?"

"I had things."

"More important than your friend's wedding?"

"I just had things." Rory said. Tristan nodded. "I wanted to go. I swear I did. I sent a gift and Paris came back with pictures, but some shit happened and I wasn't able to."

"Well, well, well, Mary using curse words."

"Tristan, the Virgin to that Mary dropped a while ago."

"Really?" He said sitting up in interest. "Who, may I ask, was the lucky man that took your innocence?" Rory rolled her eyes. Tristan smiled. In high school, that comment would have made her blush. Now, she just rolled her eyes and shrugged it off. His Mary had grown up.

"Dean." She said.

"Bag Boy?"

"Yeah, my freshman year of college." She replied freely

"Well, well, well."

"You've said that already."

"Yeah, I know. What did your mother think of this?" She looked down at the tablecloth and started drawing circles on the top.

"She didn't approve."

"Really, I would have assumed that she would be singing Bag Boy's praises for being your first."

"She didn't approve of the situation in which she found us." Rory shook her head. "That came out wrong."

"Yeah, it did."

"Dean wasn't..." Rory decided to choose her words carefully, "available at the time in which we had relations." She said formally.

"He had a girlfriend?" He asked. Rory shook her head.

"A wife." Tristan leaned back in his chair. "I went to Europe to clear my head and for some stupid reason wrote to him, his wife found the letter and kicked him out and we started dating again."

"Wow." Rory nodded.

"If you want to leave that's fine."

"What? Rory, we all make mistakes. This was as much his fault as it was yours. It takes two to have sex." Rory nodded. "I don't think of you any differently."

"Really?" She asked looking up.

"Really." Tristan replied. Rory smiled. Tristan really had changed. She took a breath and ran a hand through her hair. The waitress came with their food and set it down in front of them.

"You know you're the second person I told that." She whispered picking at her food.

"Well, I'm glad that I'm up there with your mom."

"No, not my mom. She was the one that caught us."

"In the act?"

"No, after, when Dean left. She saw the unmade bed and freaked. That's probably the only time I remember her being really disappointed in me."

"Hurts?"

"Oh yeah." Rory said.

"So, who's the second person?"

"I'd rather not." Tristan nodded.

"Sore subject?"

"Just a bit." Tristan nodded.

"Right."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Tristan. I mean I've told you a lot more than I've really told anyone. All this just sort of happened before graduation and it's still a little fresh and early to talk about."

"I know, Mary. Don't worry about it. When you're ready you're ready." Rory smiled.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome Now eat." Rory smiled and started eating her food.

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Rory looked up at Tristan as they started to walk on the beach. They had talked about everything. Catching up with the times and talking about why he decided to become a lawyer and his disastrous relationship with his parents to her relationship with Dean, her time at Yale, and the way her and Paris became the best of friends. They hadn't touched on one subject and she had been thinking all night maybe she should just tell him. Get it over with. She hadn't wanted to talk to Paris about it. Sure, Paris knew what happened, but she was so busy with her own wedding that talking about her own problems seemed like a burden. Her mother had her hands full with Mickey. And Luke... well, he was Luke. She couldn't talk to her other friends about it because they were somehow connected to the problem. She stopped to take off her shoes and Tristan held her up as she did so. When she looked up at him, she knew she could talk to him.

"Logan." She said taking off her other shoe.

"What?"

"His name is Logan." Tristan nodded.

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking." Rory shrugged.

"I hated him. Got on my nerves constantly and, well, reminded me of you really." Tristan smirked as they continued to walk.

"Really now, Mary?" Rory smiled.

"Yeah, he was an egoistical, arrogant, rich boy and I had no desire to associate with him."

"What happened?"

"Somewhere along the lines I fell for him... and hard. But he was not a one woman kind of man. And told me so at my grandparents' vow renewal. So I, wanting to spend some kind of time with him, proposed a no-strings kind of deal." She saw Tristan raise an eyebrow.

"Really, I can't picture you as a no-strings kind of girl." Rory laughed.

"I'm not that kind of girl and he knew that I wasn't that kind of girl, but he agreed and my mother, father and Luke found us making out in a coat room later that night." Tristan laughed. "That didn't bode well in the first impressions category."

"I would imagine not."

"So, later that week, my mother and I were walking down the street and we saw him with another girl. Bugged the hell out of me, mind you, and when my mom asked about it I shrugged it off and explained. Needless to say, she was shocked. The no- strings thing went on for a couple of months when I finally told him I couldn't do it anymore. I wasn't that kind of girl and that I would like it if we could go back to being friends. He took it as an ultimatum."

"It sounds like it was."

"It wasn't." Rory shook her head. "I wasn't going to ask for something I knew he wasn't going to be able to give and I didn't, I just told him that I would have liked to go back to being friends. He told me that he could be a boyfriend, we got in a fight and I finally agreed. He said he could do it and I believed him. We went out for two and a half years."

"Wow."

"Yeah, wow. We were completely and utterly in love. I was so close to his friends. There's Finn who is the funniest guy and has the most wonderful Australian accent. He's great for when you need a laugh. Colin, he's pretty uptight, but when you get to know him, he's a really funny guy and is a genius when it comes to revenge; then there's Stephanie, Colin's girlfriend; Paris, me and her are the best of friends. She is great for when I need a shopping pal."

"So?"

"So he proposed three months ago." Tristan looked down at her, surprised.

"So you're engaged?"

"Not anymore. We announced it to his parents and my Grandparents and my mother and Luke and, well, things were great. They loved that the Gilmores and Huntzbergers were getting together. They were going to be the most powerful families in the Hartford community. We were really happy, but in the middle of a conversation about flowers and guest lists and pate I felt like I was drowning. Logan and I got in constant fights about the stupidest things. The day would begin and we would be happy, but by the day's end we would be screaming at one another. It was terrible, some nights I would cry myself to sleep and I knew that he was having trouble sleeping, too, seeing as I was in tight with Finn and Colin. We sat down and decided it was best if maybe we didn't get married yet. That didn't go well with the parents and Grandparents. They demanded to know why and we told them. They didn't really like our decision, but they dealt. We continued going out, but it wasn't the same, you know." Rory shrugged. "At the beginning of the relationship, every time he walked into a room my stomach would do a back flip, and by the end I just didn't feel that anymore, and apparently, neither did he, so we broke up."

"Whoa."

"Yeah, it was mutual it wasn't working for the both of us. I mean it still hurt. It still does. But I'm over it. He's over it and in time we'll be able to be friends."

"You're not friends with him now?"

"Kind of. It gets tense if we're in the same room, but seeing as Finn, Colin and Steph are my friends," Rory shrugged, "I offered not to see them anymore, so we wouldn't be uncomfortable, but he wouldn't have any of it. He told me that I was one of Steph's best friends and that it would break her heart if I stopped going over to the dorm because of him. But like I said, in time." Tristan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and brought her closer.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Rory." Rory smiled at the rare use of her name.

"It's fine. That's the real world, isn't it?"

"And you don't deserve that kind of pain."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't stop my relationships from going south. Dean broke up with me three times, you left, Jess left and Logan and me didn't work."

"Me?"

"Tristan, if you hadn't left I think you would have had a chance."

"Oh really?"

"Really"

"How 'bout now?" He asked with a smirk. Rory laughed.

"In time, DuGrey, all in good time." Tristan laughed as they continued their walk.

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	4. Lunch with Bible Boy

**Thanks Flynn for betaing this so fast! You're the best!I can't say that enough! Talk to you later!**

**Part 3: Lunch with Bible Boy:**

Tristan walked Rory up to her room. They had had such a great time. They had talked and shared everything that had happened between the time that he had left. He was glad that she saw him as a friend instead of that jerk back at Chilton. He was also glad that she felt she could trust him. They had had dinner, then grabbed ice cream and walked on the beach for a good two hours. When they finally realized how late it had gotten, he drove her back to the hotel and walked her to her room.

They reached her door and she leaned her back on it. She looked up at him with those light blue eyes and smiled at him. He felt his stomach flutter just like it had in high school whenever she smiled at someone. It was never directed at him and now, now it was and he couldn't have been happier.

"Thank you so much, Tristan. This has been so much fun." Tristan smiled at her.

"Hey, it was the least I could do to make up for being such a jerk in high school." Rory laughed.

"Believe me, you've got a few more outings to make up for that."

"I wasn't that mean." Rory shook her head.

"No, you weren't." She reached up and played with the collar of his shirt. "Thanks again, Tristan."

"We should do it again." She looked up at him.

"I would love that."

"Tomorrow, we could go for lunch." Rory nodded.

"Yeah, Paris and I have things to do, she wants to look at some wedding stuff."

"I thought this was a vacation?" Rory smiled.

"It is, but Paris is happy and the wedding things makes her happier. I don't have the heart to stop her."

"You have a good heart Lorelai Leigh."

"Too good of one." He heard the sadness in her voice and felt for her. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer.

"That's not a bad thing. So, what time should I meet you here?" He said changing the subject.

"How 'bout two, we can have a late lunch and I think I can ditch Paris by then." He laughed.

"Well, look at you. Not afraid of the all mighty Geller anymore, huh?"

"Never afraid, annoyed was more like it."

"Oh yeah, right." He laughed

"I was never afraid of Paris."

"Oh, come on, Rory."

"I wasn't!" She protested.

"Okay, fine, you weren't" Rory smiled triumphantly.

"Thanks again, Tristan, for listening and not judging."

"Hey, we can't judge everyone for the mistakes they make, Rory."

"Yeah, I know." She looked up at him. His arms still wrapped around her and her fingers fiddling with the tip of his collar. She was had had such a great time and she loved the way he made her laugh, or the way he had opened her door for her all gentlemanly. She didn't realize she was openly staring until he leaned down.

Tristan caught her staring at him. Her eyes looking into his and her lips slightly parted. He had always liked her, but he had always thought that she was some sort of conquest. Of course, that was how it had started, but between bugging her and teasing her, he had fallen for her and had never forgotten her. He couldn't help himself. He leaned down, but she turned her head so that his lips skimmed her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Tristan." She whispered pulling out of his embrace.

"No, no, I'm sorry, it was too fast." Rory nodded in agreement.

"I like you Tristan. But I just don't think it's a good idea to get involved like this. I'm not ready."

"I understand, Rory." Rory smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow for lunch?" Tristan nodded.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Rory turned and opened her door. She walked in and gave him one last smile.

"'Night Tristan." She said closing the door.

"'Night Rory." He responded walking down the hall towards the elevators and up two flights.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Come on, Paris, we've already been to like five flower shops to see the arrangements and all five have told you that they can send them to the church." Rory whined as Paris dragged her into yet again another flower shop. Paris was going mad with wedding fever.

"Just one more, Rory, I swear, and then you can meet lover boy."

"Paris, stop calling him that." Rory pleaded as she sat down on the floral print sofa. She watched as Paris fingered the tulips, then look away.

"What, don't you like him?"

"Well, yeah, but he's just not my type."

"He's Logan, he's your type."

"He's not Logan."

"Yes, he is."

"How?"

"Rich, blonde, arrogant, self-centered and egotistical."

"You, of all people, should know the self-centered and egotistical mean the same thing. You just can't come up with more ways that they're the same."

"Shut up." Paris rang the bell on the counter and waited for someone to help her.

"Paris, we have been to at least twenty flower shops. You've asked if they can ship the flowers the night before the wedding and have them in the hall in time and they have all responded yes! What are we doing here, just pick a place and let's go."

"I'm looking to see which place has the right shipping deal. Be patient."

"Why can't you just do this in Hartford?" Paris was about to answer, but a lady came and cut her off.

"Sorry, I was in the back. Can I help you?"

"Yes, you see I'm getting married in two months..." Rory rolled her eyes at the speech. She had heard it many times. Paris's wedding made her even more demanding if that was possible. Sometimes she wondered why they were even still friends, but it was times like after her break-ups that she remembered. As much as Paris hated to admit it, she was a softie down under. She was always around to pick up the pieces, with Dean and with Logan. And as much as Rory hated to admit it, Paris was one of her best friends.

"What do you mean you can't ship them out!" Paris yelled. Rory looked up to see the lady cowering in the corner from a very pissed off Paris. Rory ran over to her and pulled her back.

"Paris ,calm down. Jeez, it's one place, what difference does it make?" Rory said pulling her out the door.

"I hated your tulips! You have no verity and they're wilted!" Rory pushed her out the door and sent an apologizing glance at the lady.

"I'm so sorry. She's just going a little stir crazy. She's a blushing bride." Rory whispered. Paris glared at her as she pulled her out the door and they began walking down the street towards the hotel.

"Blushing bride, my ass."

"We know you're not a virgin, Paris, which is why your dress is off white, no one will notice." Rory laughed.

"Oh, shut up." Paris growled. "So, last night."

"What about it?"

"How was it? It was late when you came back so we couldn't talk. And you were very reluctant to talk about it at breakfast and all this afternoon and the suspense is killing me."

"It was nice."

"You were out with Tristan DuGrey till the wee hours of the night and you say it was nice!"

"It wasn't the wee hours of the night, we got back around two."

"Wee hours. Now spill."

"Wee hours are like four or five. This was two. We were back late, 'nough said."

"No, not 'nough said. This is your first date since Logan. I want to know."

"It was nice. We went out to dinner, then dessert, then we walked on the beach."

"Oh, the beach." Paris said as they sat down in the lobby of the hotel. Rory rolled her eyes.

"What happened on the said beach?"

"Nothing happened, Paris. We just talked."

"About?"

"Nothing. Everything."

"Ohh. Sounds like someone's in love."

"Shut up, Paris. He's nice, he's changed."

"He's still the same playboy that he was in Chilton, looking for a quick lay."

"Wow, Paris, thanks for the confidence boost." Paris shrugged.

"Just calling 'em like I see him. He wants in your pants, Gilmore."

"I'm wearing a skirt." Rory teased

"You know what I mean."

"He's different and I've already told him I don't want things to go that way."

"He didn't listen to you at Chilton, what makes you think he'll listen now?"

"Cause he tried to kiss me last night."

"What!" Paris said getting more comfortable on the sofa by putting her legs underneath her. She had never been one for sharing, but anyone who had a chance to kiss Tristan DuGrey and refused... well, they had better have had a good ass reason.

"Yeah. We were outside the door and he leaned in, but I turned. I explained that I wasn't ready and he apologized."

"He... He apologized? The king of Chilton apologized for making a move? Sorry if I come off as crass, but bullshit."

"I'm serious, he did. Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Cause this is the guy who had sex in the janitor closet with Missy Pakins and came out smirking during the passing period."

"Ah yes, that was a good day, nice and hot, Missy Pakins wasn't that bad either." They looked up and saw Tristan standing over them with a smirk on his face. "Were you two ladies talking about me?" Rory blushed and looked down and Paris just rolled her eyes.

"I was trying to tell her that you.." Rory hit her arm and stood up.

"I'm not telling you anything anymore." Rory said as she went around the couch.

"Oh come on, Rory."

"Go call your florist!" Rory said over her shoulder as she led Tristan out.

"I would if I could find a decent one!" Paris shouted back. Rory shook her head as they came out and walked on the sidewalk, nowhere in particular in mind.

"So what were you two talking about?." Rory blushed and looked down.

"Better you not know." Tristan nodded as they continued walking down. She looked at him and took in his appearance. He was wearing white khakis with sandals with white button down shirt that was translucent enough to show off his washboard abs** (A.N. Oh come on, you all know you've looked at those pics of Chad without a shirt... damn, I even have one saved in my computer!) **He looked great and like a typical beach person. She smiled.

"So, where to?" She asked as he put an arm around her shoulder to steer her.

"A little sea food place here and there."

"That's vague."

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Rory rolled her eyes and let him lead her. Tristan looked down and she wrapped an arm around his waist. To an out looker looking at it would have seemed as if they were together, but he knew it was so she wouldn't get lost in the mass of people walking down the street. She was in a short denim skirt and a blue halter top. Her hair was down and she was wearing flip flops. He smiled. "So, how was your day?" She gave a dramatic sigh.

"I love seeing Paris happy. I do. She's been much nicer since she met Doyle. But if I have to hear about what floral arrangement goes best with her color scheme I'm going to smother her in her sleep!"

Tristan laughed as he led her into a seaside café. They sat down at an outside table, an umbrella covering them from the sun. Rory scanned the menu and ordered her drink of an ice coffee and Tristan a Sprite.

"So, are you tired of all the wedding plans?"

"This wedding is quickly turning into the wedding from hell."

"What about yours?"

"Mine?" She said pointing to herself. "You mean with Logan?" Tristan nodded.

"Unless you were going to get married earlier in your life and you didn't tell me last night." Rory laughed.

"Okay, I'll say that the wedding plans for mine were much, much worse. You try dealing with Emily Gilmore and Shira Huntzberger who only expect the Queen in attendance." Tristan smiled.

"Bad, huh?"

"Horrible, but let's not talk about that."

"Okay then, what about the bridesmaids' dresses? Are they horrible?"

"Oh god." Rory said with a laugh. "She has no sense of fashion! She's making us wear these dresses with fluffy shoulder things and ugh! I'm trying to convince her to let my mom make the dresses, any day now she'll break."

"Glad to hear." Their drinks came and Rory grabbed hers greedily and took a sip. "Think you'll fall in love again?" Rory looked up at him, she was about to answer when her phone went off. Ricky Martin's Livin' La Vida Loca started playing and she cringed. Her mother was messing with her ring tones again. She didn't even buy Ricky Martin.

"Can I?"

"Of course. Might be someone important."

"Highly doubt it." She said digging through her purse. She found her cell and answered. "Hello?"

_"Oh, so you're actually answering your phone, huh? I mean here I am sitting at home all by myself waiting for my DAUGHTER to call, only for a week to fly by and no call! I mean I checked my voice mail! I even emptied it for you! I even told Luke to make sure the answer machine was working and nope, nothing wrong with it! So here I sat all alone wondering and wondering if maybe Paris suffocated you with taffeta!"  
_  
"Did you mess with my ring tunes again?" She asked ignoring her mother's rants.

_"I'm here worrying about you and you ask me about your ring tunes!"_

"I would have called if I got kidnapped or arrested! Jeez, mom! Why did you buy me ring tunes! And Ricky Martin no less."

_"Jeez, so happy to know that you only call me when you're in trouble. And all I did was give BIRTH TO YOU!"_

"Hey, you did a lot more!"

_"Really, like what?"_

"Can't think of any right at the moment, but I know you did some other stuff for me." The waitress came and Rory scanned her menu. "Can I have fish and chips, please." The waitress nodded.

"Going crazy there, Mar." Tristan said, then turned and ordered

"Shut up."

_"Are you telling me to shut up? And who are you with? I heard a guy! And don't you think for one minute I'm forgetting the beginning of this conversation."_

"No, I wasn't telling you to shut up. I'm with Tristan and I know you would never forget what we were talking about before."

_"Tristan? Why does that name sound familiar?"_

"Uhm, cause it does."

_"Hmm, you're not telling me something."_

"So, how's Mickey?" Rory asked knowing that her brother would distract her mother form the impending conversation

_"Oh my god! He's so smart, babe! He said his first word!"_

"He's three months old, he can barely open his eyes, let alone talk."

_"He said coffee! I heard him loud and clear 'Corfoh'"_

"Mom, keep dreaming!"

_"But he is so cute and oh my god you just changed the subject! You can't do that."_

'Do what?"

_"Use your little brother as a distraction! Now spill on the whole Tristan deal."_

"I'll tell you later. I can tell he's really confused and I'm sort of ignoring him at the moment."

_"Tristan, Tristan, why, oh, why?"_

"God bye mother." Rory said hanging up the phone. She smiled at Tristan.

"She has no idea who I am, does she?"

"She'll figure it out in about two seconds. The phone will ring, I'll confirm her suspicions and then you'll have me all to yourself."

"In more ways than one, Mar."

"And here's the old Tristan." Tristan smirked as their plates came. They dug into their food and talked for a few minutes when her cell phone rang again. She shook her head and answered it. Before she could even say hello her mother spoke.

_"You're having lunch with the spawn of Satan!"_

"He's reformed."

_"This is the guy who made your life a living hell in high school!"_

"And he's making it up to me in coffee! Believe me, I'm leaving a dent in his wallet once I'm through with him." She heard Tristan laugh and she smiled.

_"Just be careful, babe, I don't want to see you hurt."  
_  
"It's fine. But thanks."

_"Okay, I'll leave you and Bible boy alone now. Call me later with the details of how this happened."_

"It's a deal. Love you mom. Say hi to Stars Hollow for me."

_"I'll tell Babette to send it along. Love you too, sweets."_ She heard the dial tone then smiled at Tristan.

"So, where were we?" Tristan smiled as they continued their conversation.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN: Gah! Sorry it took so long! I've been studying for finals since last week but thankfully my finals ended yesterday so I'm good to go! It's fun in the summer now. I'm going to sleep in and spend my days in front of my computer, may it be reading fanfiction or writing it! You guys keep on reading and reviewing, I'll keep on writing! **

Kassandra


	5. Surprise Visit

**A.N: Okay, I want to sort of speed up the process of them getting together so we can get back to the present, cause, let's face it, that's when all the juicy stuff happens! So this part is based a few weeks into their vacation. Enjoy!**

_**Part 4: Surprise Visit**_

Rory groaned at the banging. Her head was killing her and the banging was making it worse.

"Paris!" She yelled then winced as the sound reverberated through the room. Stupid Paris. Stupid hangover. As much as she cursed the pounding in her head. The pounding at what she know figured out was the door. Would not stop. She rolled out of bed and opened the door to her room of the hotel room. She carefully walked to the door trying not to notice the way the room spun. She opened the door to find a very happy Doyle.

"Doyle. What the hell are you doing here?" She whispered hoarsely.

"I'm here to see Paris. " Rory covered his mouth with her hand as he practically yelled it.

"Jeez, Doyle, no need to announce it to the whole city."

"Hangover, huh?" Rory didn't answer, instead she turned and pointed to Paris's door.

"She's in there." She muttered before closing the door. She dropped on her bed and was about to cover up when she heard Paris squeal. Dear god, Paris never squealed unless… Yes, there it was, the sounds of sex. She grabbed her pillow, her key, her cell phone and a change of clothes, then left just as the squeaks began getting louder. She walked to the elevator and walked in pushing the button to Tristan's floor. Thank god he was staying in the same hotel and three floors above them.

She winced when the elevator dinged and her stomach lurched as it started its journey upwards. Once up on his floor she made her way to his door and knocked. She leaned her head on the door her hand swinging back and forth to hit the door repeatedly. Finally the door swung open and her head fell on Tristan's chest.

"Tired." She muttered.

"Well, I'm flattered, really." He said. Rory covered his mouth. Why is it everyone had to yell?

"You're too loud."

"You have a hangover, don't you?" He accused

"That obvious?" Tristan laughed and she could feel it vibrate against her cheek. He led her inside and closed the door. He led her towards the couch. She dropped her things on the floor and put the pillow under her head as she curled up on the couch. He grabbed the comforter from his bed and covered her up.

"I've got a few errands to run. I'll be back in a couple of hours." He told her. She muttered a reply and he just shook his head as he grabbed his wallet and pocketed it. He glanced back at the now sleeping girl and made a mental note to ask what she and Paris had done the night before.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory opened hey eyes slowly coming face to face with the floral print of a couch. She rubbed her eyes and rolled over on to her back looking at the ceiling. She turned her head to see a TV inside of a cabinet staring back at her. Do TV's stare? She grabbed her head. She was channeling her mother. She always did after a night of fun and debauchery. She then started remembering the events of the morning. Doyle had come and then him and Paris had started getting reacquainted to one another and she had left to... Tristan's. That's right, she was at Tristan's. She looked down and saw her clothes, cell phone and card key in a heap on the floor. She would have gotten up if her head wasn't pounding so much. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as this morning, but it still hurt. She heard the door open and close softly. Then she saw Tristan sit on the table in front of her.

"Do I still have to whisper?" He asked. Rory shook her head.

"I think it's fine, just use indoor voices." He laughed then reached down on the floor besides him. He reached in and took out a white bottle.

"Aspirin. I'll get you some water, then I'll order lunch."

"Is it that late?"

"Ten to one." Rory grounded and started the task of opening the bottle. Tristan came back as she poured two white pills into her palm. He waited for her to sit up then handed her the water. She drowned the pills and hugged her knees to her chest burying her face in between. Tristan sat next to her.

"What did you and Paris do last night?"

"Ugh." She said looking up. Tristan looked at her as her eyelashes fluttered and she looked at him with sleep filled eyes.

"So, was it good or bad?"

"Fun."

"Right."

"Paris dragged me to some club and we pretty much danced the night away."

"Sounds fun. For some odd reason I can't imagine Paris dancing at some club."

"We loosened up some once we downed a couple of drinks."

"You don't hold liquor well."

"Of course I do. I'm my mother's daughter. I drank a lot last night. A little more than usual."

"Like what?"

"Like a few shots and two Long Island Ice Teas."

"That explains the massive hangover."

"That explains the massive hangover." She repeated laying her head on his shoulder.

"But that doesn't explain what brought you here, to my room, on my couch, in your pajamas, which I must say, you look incredibly sexy in." She looked at her pajamas which were a light purple camisole that rode up toher stomach and plaid boxer shorts.

"Are you hitting on me, Tristan?"

"I believe I am." Rory laughed. "Now, are you going to tell me what brought you here?"

"Doyle came."

"Paris's fiancé?"

"Yep."

"And that has to do with the subject at hand because?"

"Because he and Paris have been without sex for two weeks and now that he's here they started going at it like bunnies in heat, so I left."

"And came here."

"Does it bug you?"

"Of course not. Why do you think that?"

"Cause you keep repeating that I'm here over and over again."

"No, it's fine you're here." Rory smiled at him. She curled up at his side and he inwardly groaned. She had no idea what the she was doing to him.

"So what did you have to do?" She asked.

"Something."

"You don't want to tell do you?"

"Nope, just had do to something for the old man."

"Your dad?"

"Yep."

"Wasn't he the one that sent you out here to get away?"

"From the stress of school, not from him." Rory was about to respond when her cell rang. Why was it that when she was about to say something important it rang. She picked it up from its position on the floor and answered.

"Hello?"

_"Where are you?"_

"Paris? Why are you calling? Are you and Doyle taking a break?"

_"You didn't have to leave."_

"Oh yes I did. You two are very loud, Paris, and after last night's activities I didn't need loud, I needed quiet."

_"It's Doyle who can't keep the level to a minimum."_

"I didn't need to know that, Paris."

_"Right, well, where are you?"_

"Tristan's"

_"His room?'_

"Yes Paris, that's what I meant by Tristan's"

_"Well, you can come back now, we're done for the day."_

"So nice to know, but I'm going to stay here. I brought some clothes with me."

_"Okay. Well, do you and Tristan want to meet us for lunch?"_

"Uhm, I'll ask." She brought the phone down and turned to Tristan who was flipping through the channels on the TV. "Have you eaten?"

"Nope."

"Do you want to go to lunch with me, Paris and Doyle?" He looked at her and nodded.

"Sure." Rory brought the phone back up to her ear.

"Yeah, we'll meet you in the lobby."

_"An hour?"_

"That's fine."

_"Fine"_ Then Rory heard the dial tone. She turned back to Tristan with a frown.

"You're twenty two years old. It's time you made your own decisions instead of your dad making them for you, Tristan." He looked at her surprised, then he remembered the topic of their conversation before her phone rang.

"Yeah, I know, but I don't get my trust till I'm twenty five and until then daddy has the money."

"That's very shallow."

"It's life, Mary. It's life and until I turn twenty five my father holds reign on what I do and don't do and until then I am but a jester in his court." He said bitterly. Rory put her hand on his and gave it a squeeze.

"He can't be that bad."

"No, Mary, he is." He kissed her forehead and got off the couch. "You should get ready, we have to meet Paris and Doyle." Rory nodded and picked up her white skirt and matching white shirt.

"Can I use your bathroom?"

"Yeah." Rory gave him a small smile and went towards the bathroom. Once he heard the door close and the water start he punched the wall. He hated his father. Making him go to some business meeting where they talked of mergers and that year's profits. He was becoming a lawyer, not an insurance man. Luckily, his grandfather had decided to go to said meeting and stopped him from lunging at his father. Then coming back form the meeting to find Rory curled up on the couch had made him forget all about his anger and brought back the sexual frustration. She had no idea how he was affected by her and the fact that she was wearing that skirt that was so see through had him feeling like a teenage boy again. He went to his room and changed his clothes form the blue long sleeved shirt to his blue muscle tee and his slacks to some jeans. He put his wallet in his back pocket and he left his cell phone on the bed. The only person that ever called was his father. He came out of the room and saw Rory combing her fingers through her wet hair.

"Forgot your brush?" He teased. Rory nodded.

"Yeah, I was half asleep when I came. I didn't have time to bring my other stuff either." Tristan headed towards the bathroom and came out with a comb.

"Here, use this." Rory thanked him and started untangling her hair. After a few minutes they walked out of the room and towards the elevator.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, fine. Why?"

"Well, I noticed a dent in the wall that wasn't there when I went to take a shower." Rory said. Tristan smiled sheepishly and wrapped an arm around her shoulder bringing her closer.

"Pent up frustration, Mary. Just pent up frustration."

"Yeah, but what did the wall even do to you?" Tristan laughed as he pushed the button for the lobby.

"Go out with me, Rory." Rory looked up at him.

"What do you think we're doing, Tristan?"

"No, I mean just me and you. A date." Rory looked up at him in surprise.

"You're asking me?"

"Out on a date." Rory hesitated. She had come here to get away from guys and their reasons for dating. She had come not to find a boyfriend but herself and all the while she had found a friend in Tristan. He wasn't the same as in high school. He had taken his time with her and gotten to know her all over again. She sighed and nodded.

"Yes." Tristan looked down at her.

"What?"

"Yes, I'll go out with you." Tristan smiled.

"You won't regret it, Rory." Rory smiled.

"I know." She said all while thinking _I hope not._


	6. In Need of a Cold Shower

**_A.N:_** MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK! I'm so sorry for the wait. I just really want to get past them already together, so we can get back to the present! But I was making a salad and it came to me how I was able to get past all this. Just note that all italics mean it's in the past. It'll be like that for the duration of the past so that I can get back on track... sorry for the confusion... Enjoy!

_**Part Five: In Need of a Cold Shower**_

Present

Rory looked down at her now sleeping daughter and smiled. She turned off the TV and got comfortable. Emma shifted and buried herself at her side. Rory sighed and tried sleeping, but her thoughts were filled with him. She remembered their first date. She was just putting on her last touches when she heard Paris talking to him. Threatening him was more like it.

_Tristan walked up to her hotel room and knocked. Doyle answered the door. He had met him earlier and had to say that Paris was lucky to find a guy that was able to put up with her._

_"Hey, come on in." Doyle said._

_"PARIS, LEAVE IT ALONE!" He heard Rory yell from the room._

_"But it's better."_

_"I don't see why you ask me about color schemes when your future husband is out there and can help you. You end up ignoring my opinions anyway!"_

_"Doyle doesn't know the difference between pink and blue. He's color blind."_

_"Really?"_

_"No, not really! Geez!"_

_"Paris, let me get ready."_

_"What do you think of the blue?" He saw the door open and Rory push Paris out, then close the door again._

_"DuGray." She stated as she sat down on the couch with Doyle and spread out the color samples._

_"Geller. What are you looking at?"_

_"Colors for the house." Doyle explained._

_"Ah."_

_"Tristan." Paris said. Tristan looked at her._

_"Yeah?"_

_"You hurt her you die, understand? Rory has been through hell and back. First with Dean, then with Logan. She doesn't deserve to get hurt again and if you hurt her, I'll make sure you'll be eating through a feeding tube. Understood?"_

_"Aren't we a bit protective about Miss. Gilmore?" He smirked_

_"She's my best friend, Tristan. I think I have the right. Now, are we on the same wavelength or should I follow through on the threats?"_

_"No, we're on the same wavelength, Paris. I won't hurt her."_

_"Good." The door opened and Rory smiled. She had on a light blue dress and her hair was down at her shoulders. Tristan smiled._

_"Ready?" Rory nodded._

_"Yeah. Paris, I'll be back later. Leave a sock on the door knob if you two are busy." Paris smiled and nodded._

_"No problem, Gilmore. Have fun."_

_"I will." Rory said as Tristan led her out of the room._

Rory smiled at the memory. He had taken her to one of the night clubs and reserved a private room for them to eat and talk. They danced the rest of the night. She had to admit he was a good dancer. At two in the morning he walked her to her door and they saw a sock on the door knob when he told her it was probably safe to go in. They were proved wrong and she had slept on the couch in his room. He had let her borrow one of his shirts. They went out every night and had the best time. He had kissed her at the end of the week on the beach. She had asked him after words what they were and he just smirked and kissed her again. He answered her question by whispering one phrase in her ear. _Whatever you want us to be._ They had spent the rest of their vacation together. Seeing as Doyle was there Paris didn't need her help with wedding things anymore. At the end of her month he had taken her to the beach where they had first met again and had their first kiss. Rory closed her eyes and let the memory surface.

_Rory laughed as Tristan dragged her on the beach. She was wearing short shorts with a light blue tank top seeing as the night proved to be unbearably hot while Tristan wore board shorts and a white cotton wife beater. She could see his wash board abs outlined with the shirt._

_"Tristan, where are we going? We've been walking for a while now." Tristan stopped and smirked at her._

_  
"Tired?"_

_"A bit." She laughed. "Jeez, you're like a kid at Christmas."_

_  
"Well, it's our last night together and I wanted it to be special. I mean we won't be able to see each other for a while." Rory nodded._

_"I understand that."_

_"Hop on."_

_"You're kidding." Tristan mock frowned._

_"I never kid, hop on." Rory laughed and hopped on his back, her legs wrapping around his waist, his hands holding on to her thighs and her arms loosely around his neck. She rested her head on his shoulder as he began to walk towards their destination._

_"This is ridiculous." She said. Tristan looked at her._

_"Hey, you're the one complaining."_

_"You've been secretive all week about this date."_

_"I am fully aware of that."_

_"Your lips have been sealed and you know I hate surprises."_

_"You love them, Mar." Rory rolled her eyes as he set her down. "You just hate to be in the dark." Rory smiled and got on her tip toes to kiss him. "We're here." He led her to a private cove where there was a bonfire lit and a blanket with a picnic basket set up. _

_"Like it?" He asked. Rory smiled and shook her head._

_"I don't like it, I love it." She said. Tristan smiled and led her to the blanket and they sat down with Rory in between Tristan's legs, his arms around her waist._

_"So what's in the basket?" She asked. Tristan grabbed it and sat it in front of her and opened it up, coming up with two champagne flutes and a bottle of champagne. He managed to open it and poured some into the glasses. "Thank you."_

_"You're welcome." He said kissing the base of her neck. "Now, seeing as we already had dinner," Rory smiled and nodded, they had eaten in a seashore shack called Splash for the best clam chowder, _**(A.N. If you are ever anywhere near Pismo beach in Cali, go to Splash! Best clam chowder ever!)**_ "I am providing us with dessert."_

_"How thoughtful." Tristan smirked as she took a sip of champagne._

_"If that sarcasm of yours keeps up I'm not giving you any."_

_"I doubt that." She said as she kissed him lightly. Tristan pulled her further into his embrace deepening the kiss. When air became an issue she pulled back and gave him a small smile._

_"My innuendos are starting to rub off on you." He whispered. Rory nodded and smiled, then turned back to the basket._

_"So, dessert?" He shook his head with a smirk, then reached in._

_"Cheesecake." Rory clapped her hands together happily. Well, as best she could with her glass in hand. "Strawberries and cookies as well as some brownies."_

_"Jeez, I'm loving you right now, you know that?" Rory looked back at him realizing what she said and Tristan smirked. "Tristan, I didn't…"_

_"I know. Don't worry about it, not tonight. Come on, dig in." Rory smiled and grabbed a brownie. They ate their sweets and talked. Later that night they laid on the blanket, Rory's head on his chest as they watched the tide come in. The bonfire had dimmed down, so that the moon was their main source of light._

_"What are we going to do?" Rory asked. Tristan looked down at her._

_"When?"_

_"When all this is over. I'm headed to Hartford, you to Boston." Tristan kissed the top of her head and laid her down, so that she was on her back and he on his side looking down at her._

_"Listen, Boston and Hartford are only a two hour drive. When I have free weekends, I'll drive up and see you. Plus, there's this brand new invention called the phone. I don't know if it works well, but we can give that a try." Rory hit his chest playfully._

_"Smartass." Tristan smirked._

_"Rory, we'll make this work."_

_"Promise?"_

_"With all my heart. Plus, Paris's wedding is at the end of the month, so we'll see each other then. Get a room." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively in which she rolled her eyes._

_"Men and their one track minds." Tristan smirked and leaned down and kissed her. Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and played with the hair there. He kissed her one last time before looking up at her, then leaned down and kissed the side of her neck and trailed kisses down her neck. His hand made light patterns on the side of her hip trailing upward bit by bit. He wanted her to make the first move. He didn't want to push her into anything she didn't want. He wanted her to be sure. Of herself. Of him. Of them. So when he felt her hands push his shirt upwards he looked at her._

_"Rory?"_

_"I'm sure." Tristan smirked._

_"Really?" He teased. Rory rolled her eyes._

_"You know when I play with the collar of your shirt?" Tristan nodded. He noticed she did that a lot when they were in close proximity of each other. Her hand would straighten it out or if it was already straight, she'd play with it, sometimes tracing the other edge. But what that had to do with this moment he wasn't sure. She pushed him down lightly so that her mouth was next to his ear. "When I do that, it's usually me trying to figure out the fastest way to get you out of it." Tristan pulled back with a smirk._

_"Such language for a Mary."_

_"Shut up and kiss me."_

_"Your wish is my command." Rory shook her head as he kissed her lips. She sucked on his lower one and he kissed her cheek slowly pushing her shirt upwards and off, revealing a white, translucent bra with a front clasp. "Expecting this weren't you?" He teased in a low voice. Rory rolled her eyes._

_"If I say yes, can I take your shirt off?" Tristan laughed and took it off for her._

_"Did you one better." Rory smiled as he bent down and kissed her stomach, feather light kisses until he reached the hem of her bra. With great expertise he unclasped it and helped her out of it throwing with the growing pile of clothes. _

_"Tris." She whispered lifting her hips to his. Tristan smirked and kissed her lightly._

_"Patience." He bent down once more and took one of her nipples into his mouth. Rory gasped and arched her back. He let go with an audible 'pop' and worked on the other. He loved getting Rory to react. They had made out before and it was always her breasts that got her going. He smiled as he let go and went back to kiss her. Her small hands found the snaps to his board shorts and she made quick work in getting him down to his boxers. _

_"Impatient, aren't we?" Rory smiled at him as he hovered over her._

_"There is no room for patience."_

_"I bet we can find some." He smirked as he took off her shorts._

_"Wanna bet?" She smirked back at him. Tristan just shook his head and bent down to her ear._

_"Sweetie, you don't want to bet with me. I don't lose."_

_"Neither do Gilmores." She whispered back. Tristan smirked as he ever so slowly took off her panties. He kissed her before he plunged one of his digits into her making her arch her back._

Rory woke up with a start. Dammit. Way too vivid for her tastes. She sighed. That night had been... eventful and the result of something beautiful. Their daughter. They had been so caught up in the heat of the moment that they had forgotten to use protection. Unfortunately, she hadn't realized it until it was too late. She shook her head to get her out of her thoughts. She'd think of all that later. Now she had to take a cold shower. A very cold shower.

**_A.N: REVEIW! REVEIW! REVEIW! Please:p_**


	7. What Went Wrong?

_**AN: This is the chapter when you find out somewhat on what happened to Tristan! Enjoy!**_

_**Part 6: What Went Wrong?**_

Rory sat down at an outside table. It was her and Paris' weekly lunch. They had started doing this when work became so hectic that they never had time to hang. So, once a week they met at a small sidewalk cafe that was halfway between both their works. She had dropped off Emma at Finn's for the weekend, him being Emma's favorite uncle.

"Sorry I'm late." Rory nodded as Paris sat down.

"That's fine, Paris."

"How's my goddaughter?" Paris asked.

"Good. She had a stomachache, but it miraculously went away when Finn called this morning asking if she wanted to go to the park."

"That Finn." Rory shook her head. "So you have a free weekend?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go to Stars Hollow. Help out with the Fall festival."

"Sounds nice." They ordered their usual coffee and a tuna melt for Rory and a water and a Greek salad for Paris.

"How's Doyle?"

"Good. We're still trying." Rory smiled. Paris and Doyle had been trying for a child for the past two years.

"It'll happen, Paris"

"This coming from the woman that has a child." Rory looked down. "Hey, what's wrong?" Rory took a breath. The topic of Tristan was always a bit of a sore subject for Paris.

"I've been thinking a lot about him." She saw Paris sit back in her chair.

"Don't!"

"Paris."

"No, Rory, stop! Look, I know you loved him. And I know you wish you could have told him, but my god, Rory, he left."

"I know, Paris, no need to remind me."

"Rory, he's a bastard and a jackass and an asshole."

"Father of my child you're talking about."

"Rory, he doesn't deserve the time of day. And he definitely doesn't deserve to be in your thoughts."

"It's just… Em. She looks more and more like him everyday and I can't help but have my mind wonder. I sit in my office wondering what the hell he's been doing these past five years. Why he never called or why he left. It hurts, Paris."

"I know."

"I can't live my whole life not knowing. What the hell is Emma going to think when she starts asking why her dad isn't around and I tell her 'Oh sweetie, I don't know. He left in the middle of the night.' My god, Paris, think about from my standpoint."

"Rory, tell her the truth. Tell her that you and Tristan loved each other very much, but it didn't work out."

"And make it seem like he's the bad guy."

"He is the bad guy, Rory! That's the point."

"I don't want her to believe he left her. That he knew about her and that he left because of her. She doesn't deserve that, Paris."

"Rory, he would have left." Rory shook her head.

"I have a feeling he wouldn't have."

"If he showed up, what would you do, Rory? Would you just jump back in his arms and welcome him home with a good fuck."

"Paris!"

"Or would you put him in his place?" Rory looked down at her hands and Paris sighed. "Rory."

"I don't know what I would do, Paris. The fact is that I have no idea what would be my initial reaction. Would I leap for joy that the father of my daughter appeared back in my life or would I yell at him for showing up after leaving me?"

"I go for the second choice." Rory sighed.

"I'll let you do the talking, how's that?" Paris nodded.

"Fine with me, there are some things I'd like to say to a certain DuGray." Rory smiled and bit in to her sandwich.

"I know you would." They had talked about work and their friends, never once revisiting the topic of Tristan. Rory walked back to the news office and to her office. She worked at the Hartford Times. Her friend, Logan Huntzberger, owned the paper, Finn Rothschild was a photographer and Doyle was her editor. They would have lunch in her office at times. She walked into her office and closed the door behind her. She sat her purse on the black leather couch against the wall and sat down behind her mahogany desk on her black swivel chair. She started her computer and let her mind wonder. Unfortunately, her mind automatically went to the night that everything feel apart.

_"Paris, it's fine." Rory said as Paris looked at herself in the church mirror. Paris smiled and held her stomach._

_"I feel like I'm going to throw up." Rory smiled._

_"Nerves. My mom had them too."_

_"Me too." Madeline said. "It's like a dozen bats are flying around your stomach and there's no chance of them letting up." Rory smiled as Paris nodded._

_"See, the feeling is normal. Now change the subject so that you can stop thinking about what's going to happen in ten minutes." Rory said as they led Paris to the front of the church._

_"Tristan's going to be here, isn't he?" Louise said in her sultry voice._

_"He's mine, Louise. Plus you have Jess." Rory stated as Louise, Madeline and Paris smiled at her. _

_"Right of coure my husband." Lousie said twirling her ring on her finger. Rory smiled. Her and Tristan had been dating for two months now. He came to visit her every so often when he had a free weekend at school. Or she'd surprise him at his dorm. The long distance thing was working out for them and things were perfect._

_"How you managed to nab Tristan DuGray is besides me. Didn't you hate each other at school?" Louise asked._

_"What can I say, I didn't know how good a kisser he was."_

_"Who are we talking about now?" They turned their heads to see Tristan along with Madeline's husband Mark and Doyle's brother Jeremy walk up to them._

_"You caught me, Tristan." She said putting her hands on his chest and fixing his collar. Tristan smirked. "I'm having an affair."_

_"Oh really?" Rory smiled and traced the outer edge of the collar._

_"Yes, really. And he's the father of my unborn child." Tristan laughed._

_"Well, in that case," he leaned down and kissed her lightly, "hi."_

_"Hi." _

_"And later." Rory frowned._

_"What?"_

_"Collar." Rory saw her fingers playing with his collar and blushed removing her hand. She hated that she told Tristan about that. He always seemed to catch when she did it, making her blush._

_"God, you two are unbelievably mushy." Paris said breathing regularly now. "Thank god me and Doyle never went through that." Rory smiled and shook her head._

_"You and Doyle went through your own phases like having sex everywhere anytime phase."_

_"Oh, we still do that." Jeremy shut his eyes._

_"That's my brother your talking about." They all laughed as the wedding march began. The church doors opened and Tristan led Rory down the aisle, then sat down at his seat while Rory, being maid of honor, stood. Madeline and Mark made their way down the aisle, then Jeremy and Louise. Jeremy stood next to Doyle, he was the best man, and patted his back. Then Paris came down the aisle in her beautiful, white, strapless dress. The rest was history. Tears were shed and vows were shared. Then they made their way to the Hartford Hilton _**(A.N.: I know there probably isn't a Hilton in Hartford... just deal with me here. It's AU)**_ ballroom where the reception was being held. Rory leaned up against the wall watching as Paris and Doyle shared their first dance as husband and wife._

_"That would have been us you know." Rory turned to a smirking Logan. Rory smiled and hugged him._

_"I didn't see you at the church."_

_"Yeah, I know. I had a meeting my dad wouldn't let me get out of." Rory shook her head._

_"Ever the workaholic."_

_"That's me. So, how are you, Ace? I haven't talked to you since you left for vacation."_

_"I'm good. I'm seeing someone."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Does he make you happy?"_

_"Very much so."_

_"I'm glad."_

_"What about you, Logan?"_

_"I've been good. Still kicking myself for letting you go." Rory blushed. "I'm glad you're happy, Ace. Now, if you excuse me, I see Finn heading towards the microphone and I'm sure he doesn't feel like dying at the moment." Rory laughed as she saw him run off towards Finn. Then saw Colin coming form the opposite direction to get Finn off the stage._

_"Hey." Rory turned and saw Tristan behind her._

_"Hey yourself." He leaned up against the wall and Rory wrapped her arms around his neck._

_"Who was that you were talking to?"_

_"Logan."_

_"Your ex..."_

_"Fiancé. And yes. Are you jealous, Mr. DuGray."_

_"Maybe." Rory smiled and kissed him._

_"Good."_

_"Is this the hunky hunky man you've been keeping from mommy?" She heard a voice behind her. Rory winced. She had tried to keep her relationship with Tristan as private as possible. Unfortunately, her mother had eyes everywhere._

_"I swear I tried to prolong this moment for as long as possible." Tristan smirked as she turned around to face her mother and step-father along with her baby brother._

_"Hi mom, Luke." She looked down and tickled Mickey's chin. "Hey baby brother."_

_"Who's the guy?" Luke asked. Luke had always been protective of her._

_"Luke, mom, this is Tristan. Tris, this is my mom and step-father Luke."_

_"You're the boyfriend?" Luke asked. Tristan wrapped his arms around Rory's waist unconsciously and nodded._

_"I am indeed the boyfriend."_

_"And the sex toy."  
_

_"Mother!" Rory exclaimed as Luke shouted._

_"Lorelai!"_

_"I'll keep my responses to myself on that one." Tristan responded._

_"Good boy." Lorelai said looking up and down. "Okay, I approve. See you two later. Rory, ET." With that Lorelai turned and Luke gave Tristan a withering glare before following his wife._

_"ET?"_

_"Evil Tristan. It was a Chilton nickname."_

_"Of course." She turned around in his arms and smiled. _

_"You'll always be my Bible boy."_

_  
"And you my Mary." He said kissing her. The rest of the reception went without a hitch. Well, Finn somehow got past his two watchers and grabbed the microphone and begun singing an very off-key rendition of Summer Lovin.' Paris just laughed. Nothing was going to ruin her day. And amazingly, it didn't. It turned out Tristan was old family friend with Colin's family and they knew each other. Not well, but still. At one in the morning they all started to leave. Finally, Paris and Doyle decided they would go get some shut eye seeing as their plane left early. They just went along with it and let them go. Finn got back up on stage and started singing Barbra Streisand... luckily no one could do worse than Barbra herself... so that in itself was a vast improvement._

_"Okay Finn, enough champagne for you." Logan said as he and Colin approached him from opposite sides of the stage trying for a sneak attack. Just as they were about to jump him Rory shouted out to him._

_"Finn!" He turned, saw Logan and ran off the stage causing Logan and Colin to run into each other._

_"Thank you, love!" Finn shouted as he ran out of the ballroom, microphone in hand._

_"Thanks a lot, Ace!" Logan yelled as he went after Finn. Colin ran after him, grumbling the whole way something about damn Aussies. Stephanie laughed._

_  
"That was definitely worth it." Rory smiled. "I'm going to go after them. Knowing the Stooges, one of them will end up in a jail cell, the other in the hospital and the third passed out with an unknown." Rory laughed. "In Omnia!" Steph muttered raising her champagne flute. Rory raised hers as well and turned to Tristan who was smiling at her._

_"What?" He shook his head and stood up grabbing his jacket and grabbing her hand with his free one._

_"Nothing. Come on." _

_"Where?"_

_"I got us a room for the night."_

_"Oh really?"_

_"Really." He said wrapping his arms around her as they got in the elevator. "We haven't been together for two weeks. And I got to say that's not good for me." Rory rolled her eyes._

_"Is that all you think about?"_

_"Well, that and sleep, so yeah."_

_"My man has a one track mind." Tristan laughed as they got to the floor. He led her to the room and unlocked it. As soon as the door closed clothes went flying. Rory loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt taking it off as he led her towards the bed._

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_"Tris." She whispered._

_"Hmm?" He was making lazy circles on the inside of her thigh. Rory snuggled deeper at his side. He saw she was near sleep. But she looked up at him with sleep filled eyes._

_"I love you." Tris smiled and kissed her lips slowly. He pulled back._

_"I love you too, Rory." Rory smiled and sank into his embrace. They both feel asleep with smiles on their faces._

When she had woken up, he was gone. No note saying why or a number. She had stayed in the room an hour waiting for him just to show up, just in case he went out for something. But he never came back. She left and never turned back. Three weeks later she found out she was pregnant. Her and Paris had gone to his grandfather to ask about him, but he said he had no idea where he grandson was. Much to Paris's objection, they searched a year for him to no avail. Not even her grandmother (Hartford gossip queen) knew where he was and was trying as hard as she could to contact his parents. No one answered. She had finally come to terms that he wasn't coming back and she wasn't going to sit around and wait for him.

"Rory?" She looked up and blinked, then smiled as Logan walked into her office.

"Hey."

"Hey. You okay? Leslie's been calling you for five minutes." Rory looked over his shoulder to see her blonde-haired secretary looking at her concerned.

"Sorry, daydreaming." Rory replied pointing to a chair for Logan to sit on. Leslie put some folders at her desk and a cup of coffee, then left with a smile at Logan.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing. Like I said, just daydreaming. So, what brings you here?"

"Well, Colin has a new partner."

"Oh god, what happened to the old one?" It was a joke among the set of friends. Colin's law firm changed partners every year. With different excuses. From obnoxious nail biting to sleeping with secretaries.

"Money laundering apparently."

"Oh my god. Are the clients okay?" Logan nodded.

"Fine, he was laundering money from the ex-wife." Rory shook her head and laughed.

"Of course. So Colin has a new partner. What's the name this time?"

"Actually, I have no idea. All Colin said was that this one would last. He was an old family friend that Colin hadn't seen in years. Turns out he's been in London taking care of the family business. He finally decided to move back. Got news that Colin was in need and headed there. They signed the papers an hour ago."

"Okay," Rory said looking at her computer and signing in. Apparently, her trip down memory lane had taken longer than she thought. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Colin wants us all to gather at the house and have dinner. Plus he says that Steph's been getting lonely. The doctor has her on house arrest."

"The baby okay?" Logan nodded.

"Should be."

"So dinner at Colin and Steph's. Still not seeing the point."

"Do you want me to beg?"

"Might make it easier to say yes." Logan smirked and walked around her desk and got on his knees grabbing her hands.

"Please, Ace. Please." Rory rolled her eyes and smiled at the onlookers watching their boss on his knees in the star reporter's office. She sighed.

"I better be getting a hell of a nice dress for this, Logan." Logan smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Do I need to pick one up for Emma?"

"No, she's at Finn's. Finn can get into the apartment, get a dress for her and take her to dinner. Assuming Finn is invited."

"He's invited."

"Then Finn will get her ready."

"He spoils her."

"And she loves it. Now out and let me get my work done. Boss." Logan smirked.

"You're the best, Ace."

"Out!" Logan smirked once more before leaving and closing the door behind him. Rory sighed and found her thoughts once more on Tristan. What went wrong?


	8. Paris's View on Things

**_A.N: _**Sorry about the long wait guys! I had a problem with the Internet...I didn't have any. My dad got it cancelled and I just got it back yesterday! Thank god! Thanks for waiting and I also want to thank my beta Flynn for having to wait those two weeks to get all those chapters!

This chapter will explain and few things...please don't ask what happened to Tristan...it will be explained just not now! Thanks

Kassandra

_**Part 7: Paris's view on things**_

Paris walked into her office at the Hartford's Children Hospital. When she had first told her friends that she wanted to work with children, they all raised their eyebrows or, in Logan's case, laughed saying that her personality made her somewhat... not a people person, much less a child person. Rory and Doyle had supported her saying that if that's what she wanted to do, then who they were to judge? Yes, she had a short temper, but when it came to her goddaughter it brought out her softer side, Doyle and Rory recognized that.

Paris picked up a file from her desk and walked into the exam room and smiled at a young boy that came in on a regular basis for shots. He had a rare heart condition and had to have shots done once a month.

"Hey, Billy. How are you today?" Paris asked sitting down on her stool and wheeling it over to the young boy.

"I'm good, Dr. Geller." Paris smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Mrs. Jesop, how are you?"

"Doing fine."

"Good. I've looked at his charts and he seems to be doing fine. How have you been feeling?"

"Tired a lot."

"Okay." Paris made a note in his file. She went through the regular routines of checking his reflexes and listening to his heart. "All seems fine. I'll send in Patty to give you the shot and you pick the Band Aid, we've got new ones with Hot Wheels."

"Really?" Billy asked jumping up and down in his seat. Paris smiled and nodded.

"I'll be in my office if you need anything." Paris said ruffling his hair one more time and shaking his mother's hand, then exited the room. "Patty, Billy needs his monthly shot and the Hot Wheels Band Aid." Patty nodded and got everything together.

Paris walked into her office. Her desk was against the wall and was piled high with folders and reports that she had to get through. She sat down at her desk and opened one of the folders, but her attention was lost when her eyes found a picture of Emma taken only twenty minutes after she was born.

That child was beloved in their group of friends. She had her own room in each of the houses that they lived in. She had one at Finn's who she spent the most time with, her own wing at Logan's, her own pony at Colin and Steph's and her and Doyle had turned their pool house into a playroom for her. Paris smiled. That child was utterly and completely spoiled. She remembered when Rory found out she was pregnant.

_Paris laughed as Doyle carried her through the threshold of their Hartford mansion. He let her go and kissed her._

_"Welcome home, Mrs. Bradbury."_

_"I'm glad to be home, Mr. Bradbury." She said kissing him back. "Now enough of the mushiness. I do not want to turn into Tristan and Rory. Show me to our room." Doyle laughed and was about to pick her up again when they heard the phone ring._

_"You gave out the number, didn't you?" Paris asked._

_"Well, if something important happened. They needed to know the number." Paris rolled her eyes and went to go pick up the phone in the living room._

_"Hello?"_

_"Paris?"_

_"Hey, Lorelai."_

_"Hey, I'm hoping the honeymoon went good."_

_"Very good."_

_"Okay, that sounded really dirty."_

_"Um... Lorelai, not to sound rude, but did you need something?"_

_"Right, well… see, I've been trying to get a hold of Rory. I mean we talk everyday, so I can hear about the new details of her and Tristan's love life. And well, she hasn't called ever since you left. She's not in her office, she's not at home. No one had seen or heard from her. I went to her apartment a few times, but no one answers."_

_"So you're worried?"_

_"Yeah. And you still have the extra key." Paris nodded._

_"She's probably in Boston with Tristan or something. But if you want I'll go check on her."_

_"Would you?"_

_"Yeah, I'll go right now."_

_"Thanks, Paris. I owe you one."_

_"Don't worry about it, Lorelai." They said their goodbyes and hung up. She turned back to Doyle who sighed._

_"To Rory's?" He asked. Paris nodded._

_"Sorry, but Lorelai's worried."_

_"I know. Come on, the sooner we go the sooner we can get it on in every room of the house. There are fifteen you know, including the poolhouse."_

_"What about the bathrooms?" Paris teased._

_"Oh baby, I'm saving those for our second wind." Doyle said closing the door behind them. Paris laughed as she got in their car._

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

_Paris and Doyle walked down the hall to Rory's apartment. She grabbed the key from her purse and opened the door. _

_"Just wait here, okay Doyle? I'm going to check the rooms." Doyle nodded and sat on the arm of the couch. Paris walked into the guest bedroom, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary, next was the study, again nothing, then lastly Rory's room. Paris frowned. The bed looked slept in, there were coffee cups on the nightstand and the TV was on._

_"Rory?" She turned and saw the bathroom door cracked open and the light coming through. She opened the door and saw Rory passed out on the cold marble floors._

_"DOYLE!" She yelled. Doyle rushed into the room and saw Paris kneeling next to Rory's unmoving form. "Call 911." Doyle nodded and got out his cell phone._

Paris sighed and shook her head. It had taken the ambulance twenty minutes to get to the apartment. The assholes in front of them wouldn't move. Paris rolled her eyes. Like there was any traffic in Hartford that caused cars to just sit there not moving. She looked back down at the folder, but her mind was elsewhere.

_Paris paced the room with Doyle sitting on the chair next to Rory when Lorelai rushed in._

_"Where is she?" She said, then looked next to her and saw Rory lying in a hospital bed pale and much skinnier than she originally was._

_"Lorelai, I found her passed out in the bathroom. The doctors are running tests right now. They said she would wake up in the next ten minutes." Lorelai nodded. Twenty minutes later Rory's eyes opened slowly._

_"Rory?" They all gathered around her bed and Rory turned her head not saying anything. Lorelai looked at her. "Rory, babe, what's wrong? Should I call Tristan, get him to come down?" _

_"You can't." Rory rasped._

_"Why not?" Paris asked. "Is he in class or something?"_

_"I don't know where he is. He just left." Lorelai frowned._

_"What do you mean he left? Where did he go?" Rory looked back at her mom, her eyes brimming with tears._

_"I woke up after the wedding and he was gone. I have no idea where. He hasn't called." Rory cried. Paris sighed and shook her head. She knew Tristan would do this. He always had a way of screwing up girls he dated. He'd fuck them and move on. She would point that out to Rory on a later date. At the moment the doctor walked in and cleared his throat. They all turned to him._

_"Turns out, miss Gilmore, you have suffered from malnutrition and dehydration. How long have you gone without eating?" Rory shrugged and sniffed._

_"Um... I don't know. I've been sort of upset lately and have sort of picked at my food. Haven't been eating all that much."_

_"Well, have you been throwing up?" Rory nodded._

_"For the past few weeks just sort of dry heaving though."_

_"I would imagine so seeing as you have nothing to empty. You have got to start eating right and gain a few more pounds if you want your baby to survive. " They all stared at him including Doyle who was standing by the window. "Now, here is a diet that I would like you to follow."_

_"Wait a second here, Doc. Be kind and rewind. Baby?" Lorelai asked. The doctor nodded._

_"Miss Gilmore is a week away from her third month." Rory hand went instinctively to her stomach._

_"That can't be right." Rory whispered._

_"I'll leave the list of foods you should eat here. Also lay back on the caffeine." The doctor said as he walked out._

_"All the times me and Tristan had sex we were... oh my god." Rory said._

_"Rory?" Paris asked._

_"Our first time. In the Bahamas. We didn't use anything."_

_"Rory?" Lorelai asked._

_  
"We were just so caught up and we forgot, I wasn't even on the pill, I didn't start till after and it had slipped my mind that Tristan didn't use anything." Rory covered her mouth._

_"Oh god, Ror." Lorelai said. Paris sat down at the end of the bed._

_"That night at the wedding… god, I should have known, I could have told him. He wouldn't have left."_

_"Yes, he would have." They all looked at Paris. "Rory, he would have left. Tristan is the kind of guy that fucks a girl and leaves when he loses interest."_

_"Paris." Doyle warned._

_"No, we knew that, Rory, I told you from the beginning. You were still the Mary to him. You always will be."_

_"Stop." Rory said beginning to tear up again._

_"We knew that it was a matter of time, Rory. God, this is so typical of him!"_

_"Paris, if he had lost interest he wouldn't have stayed for two months."_

_"I don't care how long he stayed. He left! And I, for one, refuse to help you look for him!"_

But she had. Rory had begun the search on her own and Paris began to help little by little till Rory was too big to move. Then Paris would go to the house and ask if they knew his whereabouts. No one did and Paris thought that it was better that way. She hated Tristan for what he did to Rory. And she didn't care how much love Rory still had for him. He was going to go through hell with her if he ever got near Rory and her daughter.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N2:_** Short, I know, but I just wanted to get the pregnancy thing over with. All chapters will be done in the present now. There will be one more flashback, but that won't be till later on. So, from now on, everything that is is present! Next chappy will be up soon!


	9. And He's Back

_**Part 8: And He's Back:**_

Rory got off from work at four. Emma was with Finn for the weekend and Logan was going to pick her up at seven. She looked at the clock. It was four thirty. It took half an hour to get to Stars Hollow. And half an hour to get back. Yeah, she could go. She got in her car and drove towards her hometown. It wasn't like her visits were rare. In fact, her visits were many. Emma took dance lessons with Miss Patty every Sunday. Rory sighed. Emma was a lot like Tristan. Tristan had been the star quarterback at Chilton. She knew that he would even stay after school to play pick up basketball with Duncan and Bowmen while Rory hated sports. She wasn't good with team sports. It was a rule Gilmores don't exercise. It had gone as far as when PE time came to class she took fencing. It was one on one and she didn't have to deal with leering eyes. Plus, her and Paris got a lot of anger out with fencing.

Emma danced on Sundays and had soccer practice Mondays after school while games were every other Friday. She had lots of friends older than her and was spoiled rotten by her illegitimate aunts and uncles as well as her godparents, Finn and Paris. She was Tristan in the sense that she was the perfect angel when in the Hartford society. She went to Chilton Elementary and was involved in sports. She was like Rory in the sense that her baby was smart enough to skip kindergarten and go on to the first grade. She loved to read and talk and had an obsession with coffee like her and her mother. She was the best part of both of them. Rory sighed and shook her head to rid her of the thoughts as she parked in front of Luke's and got out. She saw her mom sitting at a table near the window. She walked in and smiled at her. Lorelai looked up and waved.

"My baby." Lorelai said kissing her daughter's cheek. Rory laughed as she sat down.

"Hey, mom."

"Where's my granddaughter?"

"With Finn." Lorelai nodded knowing her granddaughter's love for her godfather.

"What brings you to town?"

"I have a few minutes to spare. Logan is picking me up at seven to go to this dinner at Steph and Colin's."

"What's the dinner for?"

"Colin has a new partner." Lorelai laughed. "It's an old family friend, so they say he'll last this time."

"That boy changes partners like people change pants." Rory nodded in agreement as Luke came up and kissed the top of his stepdaughter's head.

"Hi, dad." Rory smiled. Luke had been more of her father than Christopher had been, so calling him dad had been an easy adjustment. One Luke was proud of.

"Hey, kid. Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

"Mickey!" He called. "Get your sister some coffee." Lorelai shook her head. Rory watched as a little hand reached up for the coffee pot and came around the counter. Rory laughed at the site. Mickey Danes was dressed exactly like his father. They were both wearing jeans, a red flannel shirt and while Luke had a blue baseball cap, Mickey had a tan one. Both were worn backwards. Mickey sat down the cup on the table and filled it up smiling at his big sister.

"Hey, baby brother, taking over for dad?"

"You bet." Mickey said with a smile showing off his missing tooth. He was six years old and already breaking the girls' hearts. They turned and walked away leaving the girls to talk.

"Hey, what's up?" Lorelai asked after a while. Rory had been spacing. She shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Ror, I'm your mother, I know things you know. What's wrong?" Rory sighed.

"I look at Emma and I always notice that she looks a lot like him you know." Lorelai sighed.

"Rory." She began, but she was cut off.

"Please, don't start your rant on how he's bad for me and how it would be terrible if he showed up, cause, believe me, I get enough of it from Paris. I understand that you all worry about me, but I'm fine and I understand you all hate him for doing what he did. I do too. But I can't help but wonder why?"

"Stop right now." Lorelai said a bit too loudly causing some people to turn and watch. "This is why I hate him, Rory. I hate that he consumes your every thought, even after five years. That he's god knows where, with who knows who, doing god knows what. You don't deserve that, babe. You deserve better."

"She looks so much like him you know. And I don't want to be one of those mothers who resents their kid for it. I love Emma so much. We already have the relationship you and I have. We are freakishly linked. But I feel like one of these days it's just going to be too much. She has his hair and his eyes, when she looks at me sometimes I see him." Rory put her elbows on the table running her hands through her hair. "I hate it that I think like this."

"I hate it, too. Rory, you're not going to resent her. You're good to that kid. If anything, you're going to love her even more." Rory nodded and looked at her watch.

"I should get going. Logan's picking me up in an hour and I have to start getting ready." Lorelai nodded.

"See you Sunday?" Rory nodded.

"Emma is one of the dancers, plus I can't miss the Fall Festival." Lorelai nodded as she kissed her cheek. Rory went over, gave her brother a kiss, then Luke.

"See you guys later." Rory said as Luke handed her a to-go cup. She waved one last time at her mother before heading out. She got in her car and drove back to her apartment. Her mom was right. She loved Emma too much to turn on her. Rory sighed and concentrated on the road turning up the radio.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory had just finished drying and fixing her hair when she heard the doorbell ring. She grabbed her robe and tied it as she opened the door to see Logan leaning on the door frame.

"You had better have gotten me a hell of a nice dress, Logan." He smirked and walked in holding out a white Tiffany's box along with twelve long stem roses. "Coffee would have been better." He laughed.

"The things I do for you, Ace." He said as he followed her to her room and sat down on the bed. Rory rolled her eyes as she set the box on the bed and opened it taking out a black silk dress. She examined it and nodded.

"It's a good thing I have shoes that go with this." She said going into the bathroom. Logan rolled his eyes.

"You're getting just as spoiled as Emma is."

"You're the one that gave her her own wing. What she needs a wing for god only knows."

"Hey, Colin and Steph gave her a pony. I had to one up them." Rory rolled her eyes as she walked out and turned around. Logan zipped her up. The dress was all black with a low V-cut and it ended just above her knees. It fit her like a glove hugging her body in all the right places. She went into her walk-in closet and grabbed her heels. He looked at his Rolex.

"Come on, Ace."

"Hold your horses." Rory said as she came out with a pair of black heels in her hands. She sat down next to Logan and put them on.

"So, what did you do after work?" He asked as she went over to her vanity and applied some lip gloss and made sure her hair was all right. She had curled it and put on a thin diamond headband that her grandmother had given her for her birthday. It pulled her hair back so that the curls fell around for face instead of on it.

"Went to Stars Hollow for awhile."

"That's nice."

"It was. It was so great. Mickey had on a flannel shirt and a baseball cap and was taking orders in the diner. I swear he's a regular heartbreaker that one, with his brown spiky hair and those bight baby blues that make all the girls swoon."

"You're a regular poet." Rory laughed as she grabbed her clutch bag and put in her cell and a tube of lip gloss along with a twenty dollar bill and her keys seeing as that was all that fit.

"So, did this dress come with a coat?"

"You're kidding, right?" Rory laughed and went back to her closet pulling out a black coat and put it on.

"Let's go." Logan put a hand on the small of her back and led her out of the apartment. They shut the door and walked down the hall and down the stairs and to his silver BMW. They got in and drove off to the Michaels' estate.

"So you have no idea who Colin's new partner is?"

"Nope. Though Steph seems very happy at the fact that he's single."

"Hmm." Rory said, then replayed the last statement in her head and whipped her head towards Logan. "No."

"Sorry, Ace?"

"You are fucking kidding me, right?"

"You raise a child with that mouth?"

"Please, tell me she is not trying to set me up... again!"

"She says he's cute and a grade A piece of ass. Now, I say it's just those hormones talking, but then again she also talked like that when we were in school."

"God dammit! If I told her once I've told her a million times. I do not want to be set up. I am perfectly happy with my life."

"Face it, Ace. Emma needs a father." He said as he parked in front of the Michaels' estate.

"She has a father." Rory said getting out and slamming the car door.

"Then where the hell is he, cause he sure as hell isn't here!" He yelled as they walked up to the door.

"Don't yell at me, Logan, please." Rory said stopping.

"Look, the offer still stands." Rory stared at him and laughed kissing his cheek.

"Logan, that's sweet of you, but I'm not marrying you." She said. Logan smirked.

"It was worth a try." He said ringing the doorbell.

"Logan, I love you, I do. Just not like that. Not anymore. I'm happy. I really am. I love Emma and she doesn't need a dad, not now. When she starts asking questions about him I'm going to start the search again, but for now… why do it? I don't want her getting hurt. She doesn't deserve it. And I think it would confuse her if her uncle all of a sudden became her dad." Logan smirked and kissed her forehead. "I want you to be happy, Logan. I haven't seen you date."

"No one catches my attention anymore." The door opened to reveal a very pregnant Stephanie Michaels.

"Come in." She said ushering them inside. Rory hugged her friend and took off her coat as Logan kissed her cheek.

"Where's Colin?" Logan asked as they went into the living room. The mansion itself was bigger than her grandparents', but had the comfortable homey feeling to it. It didn't have that cold, empty feeling that a lot of Hartford houses had. Rory sat down on one of the couches as Logan helped Stephanie down on the couch across from her and went to go fix their drinks.

"In the study with that partner of his. They've been in there for the past hour. Completely ignoring me."

"Wine, Ace?"

"White." Logan nodded and fixed their drinks.

"See, everyone ignores me."

"Okay, come on, Steph." Rory said accepting the glass Logan handed her. "We all love you. It's just the hormones."

"Yeah. Colin blames them, too." Logan rolled his eyes.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, Huntzberger. You're not getting any, either." Rory laughed. "And you Miss Chaste for five years…"

"Hey!"

"I got you some meat." Rory laughed. "Tall, blonde and handsome."

"Jeez, you're like a dealer, Steph. We should get you checked out."

"I have three very single friends. I have come to terms the Finn will forever be a bachelor, but there is still hope for you two."

"I have a five year old daughter. Logan, however..."

"No, my hooks are on you now."

"Steph, you have got to quit playing matchmaker." Just then the door to the study opened and a cloud of smoke came out.

"Boys and their stogies." Steph said. "Colin, close that door. I can't inhale that smoke."

"I know, Steph, keep your pants on."

"Yeah, you've been saying that since I got fat." Logan and Rory held in their laughter as Colin just looked at his wife and kissed the top of her head. He looked up and saw Logan standing by the fireplace and Rory sitting on the couch. Rory stood up and hugged him.

"Hey, Ror."

"Hey, Colin." He went over to Logan and did the man's handshake-hug thing that Steph and Rory would never understand.

"Heard you got a new partner." Rory said still standing.

"Yeah, he's looking over some papers. He's an old family friend."

"Yeah, Logan says you've been very tight lipped on the name."

"No, I haven't. Logan just didn't ask."

"Well, name?" Rory said.

"Tristan DuGray." Just as he said that Tristan walked out of the room closing the door after him. Blue met blue and they both stood in shock. He recovered first.

"Well, well, well, Mary, we have got to stop meeting like this."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N.: MWHAHAHAHAHA! I bet you all knew that Tristan was the partner from the beginning... it was all very obvious, but the things happening next won't be! After these next few chapters I will be posting in my Blog more info on the couples... I just need to get more info out before I'm able to post it! I'll let you know when it's up! The next chappy will be out soon!_**


	10. Threats

**_A.N: _**I kept getting all these reveiws telling me to update andI wasn't going to till Friday cuase of my once a week rule and stuff butI felt bad and decided to take pity on all you and give you this chapter. Seeing asI have this and more chapters written. After thisI will be resuming my once a week posting. Of this and the others...once my muse comes back from vacationing. Stupid Summer vacation...I mean...LOL! I also start school tommorow so writng might be less and less...depends on the class I'm in! LOL

Hope you like it!

Kassandra

**_Part 9: Threats:_**

"Well, well, well, Mary, we have got to stop meeting like this." Rory blinked and it sunk in that Tristan was actually standing in front of her. And he had the nerve to flash her his patent lady-killer smirk.

"Tristan." She said. He moved forward and she moved back. She saw a flash of hurt pass through his eyes. 'Good.' She thought.

"Rory." He said. She shook her head.

"You two know each other?" Stephanie asked.

"You could say that." Rory said coldly. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm Colin's new partner." Rory closed her eyes. Of course he was. She nodded. The doorbell rang and Colin went to answer it.

"Rory, just hear me out."

"Hear you out? You left Tristan! What the hell do you have to say?" He took another step forward and she another back. "Don't come near me, Tristan."

"Rory, I swear..."

"What the hell are you doing here!" She turned and saw Doyle holding Paris back. Rory took a deep breath.

"Hey, Paris." Tristan said casting a glance her way.

"Don't you hey Paris me! You left five years ago and now you have the guts to come back."

"Wait, this is the Tristan? Emma's Tristan?" Colin asked. Tristan turned to Colin and Rory paled.

"Emma? Who the hell is Emma?" Tristan asked. Colin's eyes widened and Rory looked down at the ground.

"Rory, is Colin right?" Logan asked. She nodded.

"Why don't we all go to the dining room and start dinner. We'll continue all this there." Stephanie said. Colin helped her up and Rory stood where she was and Tristan stood where he was as well. The doorbell rang once again.

"I'll get it. It's probably Finn." Rory said walking past the group. They all went to the dining room while Rory went to answer the door. And as expected, Finn stood there with Emma in his arms.

"Mommy!" She squealed and lunged towards her. Finn passed her off as he walked in and closed the door.

"Hey, baby, grandma asked for you."

"You went to Stars Hollow without me! Mommy!"

"Sorry, babe, but I had a few hours and you left me for Finn."

"Hmm, no coffee for you."

"Mean!" Rory laughed kissing her daughter's forehead. She looked at Finn who was watching the pair. "Hello, Finn."

"Hello, love." He said kissing her cheek. She led them into the dining room where the tension was high. Paris was sitting next to Doyle with two spare seats next to her while Logan and Tristan were sitting at two opposite ends of the other side leaving Finn to sit in the middle. Stephanie and Colin were sitting at the head of the table. Rory sat down next to Paris and sat Emma next to her. She saw Paris glaring at Tristan. Jeez, if looks could kill. The maid came out and served a salad to everyone except for Rory and Emma, who didn't eat anything green. Instead, they were given one plate of bread and butter to tie them over. Emma stood up in her seat and grabbed her knife scooping the butter and lathering it on her bread, not noticing the tension in the room.

"Hey, babe."

"Yeah, mommy?"

"Remember those classes grammy made you take?" Rory asked. They were all staring at her now. Emma had a look of pure concentration on her face.

"The one with that old lady with the really high voice and made me put a book on my head?"

"Yeah, remember the part about manners at the dinner table?" Emma nodded and continued to stand on her chair. "Babe, that was my subtle way of telling you to sit down."

"Oh, well, jeez mom, you could have just told me." She said sitting down and biting her bread.

"Why aren't you eating a salad?" Logan asked.

"Gilmores don't eat anything green." Emma responded. "Except M&M's."

"And the sour straws."

"I don't like the apple ones." Rory shrugged.

"Eat them with a coke."

"Grampa Luke gets mad."

"Your grampa Luke is crazy."

"You only say that cause you're crazier than he is." Doyle said. Rory rolled her eyes and threw a piece of bread at him.

"Hey, mama, can I spend the night at uncle Finn's tonight?"

"No, baby."

"And why not?" Finn asked.

"Cause then you'll take her to the supermarket to pick up chicks."

"Oh, love, that hurts. I was going to take her to the Zoo."

"Yeah, cause we all know that loose women hang out there by the dozens." Paris muttered stabbing her salad. At least her anger was being placed in something else at the moment.

"That hurts, love." Finn said holding his heart. Emma giggled. Rory sighed.

"Fine, but I swear, Finn, if I hear you used her to pick up chicks you're in for it. Understood?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am. Oh, and I have something for you." He handed her a packet she hadn't seen him bring in with him. She opened it up and smiled.

"You got them developed." She said flipping through them.

"What are they, Ace?"

"Pictures for a story I'm doing. Thanks, Finn."

"Rory, put those away, no work at the table. You don't see Paris saving lives at the table, do you?" Rory rolled her eyes and set the folder down.

"Finn, I need you to drop her off at my grandparents' house before dinner. Tomorrow's Friday, can I trust you to get her dressed and ready?"

"Yes, you can." Emma cheered and smiled at her mother. They all sat in silence for awhile till Paris had had enough.

"Okay, that's it. I'm sick of this. What the hell are you doing here, Tristan?" Paris said. She was sick of sitting here acting normal when he was just sitting there. Being him.

"So much for subtlety, Paris. Good going." Rory said. She rubbed her temples starting to feel the beginning of a headache brewing.

"I felt like coming back. You have a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I do, DuGray."

"DuGray? Mama, that's my..." Rory interrupted Emma before she was able to finish.

"I know, baby."

"I told you not to hurt her. I told you that she wouldn't be able to handle it! Dammit, Tristan! I warned you."

"I didn't want to. Why won't you listen to my side of the story?"

"Cause it's not worth listening to." Rory muttered. They all looked at Rory.

"Tell me, Rory, how long did it take you to jump into some other guy's bed?" Tristan asked regretting it the moment the words left his mouth. Forks dropped and everyone stared at him. Rory glared at him, then turned to her daughter who was munching on her bread, trying not to listen the conversation at hand.

"Baby, go upstairs." Emma took one look at her mother and jumped off the chair.

"Can I take the bread to auntie Steph's room?" Rory nodded and gave her the plate. She scurried out of the room. She waited until she heard the faint sound of the door closing, then turned back to Tristan.

"You have no right to say that to me. You're a bastard, Tristan. You always have been one and always will be. I forgot that, but that does not give you an excuse to say things like that in front of my daughter. Do I make myself clear!"

"Hey, like you said, you're the one with a daughter, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rory asked confused at where he was going with this.

"It means I wonder how many guys you had to fuck to get over me." She saw the guys about to stand up, including Paris, but she raised her hand to stop them. Tristan winced at his own words. This wasn't how this meeting was supposed to be. He was supposed to beg for forgiveness, not revert to the asshole he was in high school.

"Don't think of yourself so highly, Tristan. You were very easily forgotten after Chilton."

"You wound me, Mary." He said acidly sitting back in his chair

"God, arrogant, egotistical jackass, I forgot that about you. Everyone warned me when I started seeing you, Tristan. I forgot how you manipulate people to get them to do your bidding."

"Hey, I didn't hear you complain." Rory shook her head.

"Remember that night at the Bahamas? It was my last night." Tristan nodded. "You got me pregnant that night, Tristan. Emma is yours."

"That doesn't mean anything." Rory rolled her eyes as Paris stood up.

"Oh, shove it, Tristan. You weren't there when I found Rory passed out on her bathroom floor. You weren't there when she found out she was pregnant three weeks after you left. You weren't there for the birth of your daughter, Her first steps, her first words, her first day at school. We all were, Tristan. Where the hell were you? Huh? With some blonde bimbo!"

"Oh, enough of the high and mighty act, Geller!" Tristan yelled. Rory stood up.

"Hey, me and Doyle are the only ones that can talk to Paris like that! Look, Tristan, Emma is yours. When I found out I was pregnant, I was a week away from being three months."

"That means you knew at the wedding!"

"No, I didn't. God, Tristan, I found out three weeks after when I passed out from malnutrition. I hadn't eaten anything because you left! Do the Math, Tristan. Emma is yours whether you like it or not."

"Where have you been these past five years?" Paris asked. Tristan looked down.

"London."

"For what?"

"I'd rather not."

"God, Tristan, you didn't even leave a note." Rory said.

"I wanted to, but..." He trailed off, not sure how to explain it.

"But what ,Tristan?" Paris asked

"How the hell was I supposed to explain the reason behind my leaving to the only girl I've given a damn about?"

"Bull." Rory said. "If you cared about me you would have called. But guess what, I've come to terms with it, Tristan. I was the Mary. I was nothing but a conquest."

"Rory."

"Emma is yours. If you decide you want to take responsibility for her, fine, I'll let you. But by god, Tristan, if you get her attached and up and leave again, I won't stand for it." Rory threw her napkin on the table and went into the kitchen only to come out with a set of keys. "Finn, she's all yours. Drop her off at my office tomorrow. Steph, I'm taking your car." Rory said walking back out grabbing the folder Finn gave her. She went to the foyer, grabbed her coat and purse and slammed the door. Emma came bounding down the stairs a few minutes later.

"Is dinner ready? I finished the bread." Finn laughed and grabbed the little girl.

"Come on, love, let's go get you something to eat. Burger King, how does that sound?"

"Do I have to pretend to be lost, so that you can hit on the redhead behind the counter?"

"Finn!" Paris said.

"Em, darling, that was our secret." Finn said. Paris shook her head. Finn said his good byes and took Emma out to his car. Colin sighed.

"I think she's in the car. I'll go talk to her." Steph nodded and watched as her husband went to find her friend. Paris stood up.

"Don't screw this up, DuGray. For some reason beyond me, Rory is giving you a chance to be a part of your daughter's life. But if you hurt that little girl... you have six people who will hurt you. Do I make myself clear?" Tristan nodded. "Steph, sorry about dinner. We'll get together before the baby's due and make it up to you."

"Thanks, Paris." Paris nodded and left with Doyle, leaving Tristan, Logan and Steph.

"She looked for a year you know." Logan said standing up. "I hate seeing Rory cry. We all do. Don't let it happen again." He went over, kissed Steph and headed out. Steph sighed.

"You want to threaten me, too?" Tristan asked. Steph shook her head.

"No, I just want to tell you that Emma is beloved here. She is spoiled rotten in our group of friends. And is even more loved in Stars Hollow. So I don't have to say anything cause the minute you step foot in that town, not only do you have us against you, but you have 4,098 people against you as well. It's going to be hard to regain everyone's trust, Tristan. Most of all Rory's. She gave you her heart once, she's not going to give up so easily now. Now if you'll excuse me, my back is killing me."

"I think I should go."

"Just be sure not to leave the country."

"Good advice." Tristan said. He sighed.

"Before you go... can you help me up?" Tristan laughed and nodded.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Colin found her sitting in their black Thunderbird, that was the car she liked the best and always borrowed, didn't matter that it was a classic. He saw her just sitting there, her hands clenching the steering wheel. Not most people knew just by looking at them, but Rory and Colin had a good friendship. She was of course closer to Finn and Logan, but they had a different relationship all together. They had trusted and told each other things, they talked. And even had lunch now and again. He opened the door and sat down staring straight ahead.

"I'm sorry, Rory, I didn't make the connection. I just spaced." Rory shook her head.

"It's okay, Colin. I knew one day I would run into him again, I just never expected it to be so soon."

"Do you want me to hate him? Cause I can you know." Rory laughed and relaxed her grip. She leaned back against the seat.

"You're business partners now. If you're happy with the arrangement, then I don't want you to hate him. Cause I don't. I have great dislike for him at the moment, but I don't hate him. I never did."

"You still love him?"

"A part of my heart will always love my boyfriends, Colin. Not as much or as strongly as before, but I will always love them. With Tristan it was different. Every time Steph set me up with someone I found myself comparing them to him. And I hate that he has that affect on me. No one will ever be as good as him." Colin nodded. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"I know, Rory."

"That's the greatest fear I have. She gets to know him and love him, trust him. Then he'll leave again leaving this broken hearted kid in his wake. She's too young to get a broken heart, Colin. She shouldn't feel that until she starts dating and even then I know you guys will beat up the kid that does it to her." Colin laughed.

"Finn probably would. I'd stay back and watch the kid get pummeled and step in if need be." Rory laughed, then sighed running a hand through her hair.

"Do you think he's trustworthy?" Colin sighed and thought about it for a while, then answered carefully.

"As a business partner, yes, very. As a father, I really don't know, Rory, and as for your heart, only you can be the judge of that." He kissed her cheek and got out of the car. "Be careful driving home and I'll talk to you later." Rory nodded and started the car heading home, Colin's words ringing in her ear. She couldn't risk her heart like that. Not again.


	11. Opening the Door

**_A.N.:_** The dinner part is a part that I just sort of wanna get over with. I know that sounds really bad of me, but it's the second part of this that I've really been wanting to write! So enjoy!

_**Part 10: Opening the Door.**_

Rory was driving down the Hartford streets towards her grandparents' house for their weekly Friday night dinners. Rory had decided that, even though she was out of school, she still wanted to eat with her grandparents, and after Emma was born, she wanted her to know her grandparents and not be isolated from them like she had been as a girl. Her mother also came to the dinners. Even though Emily didn't agree with the fact that she married Luke, she loved Mickey. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchild and was happy that she was a part of their lives. It even made some of these dinners more enjoyable.

Rory took a look at her daughter who was near sleep. Emma had been tight lipped on where her uncle Finn had taken her, only saying that she wanted to share it at dinner. Finn had dropped her off at Rory's office just as she was about to leave and told Emma he would drop off their souvenirs later. Emma just nodded excitedly and ran to her uncle Logan's office to bug him.

"You sure you don't want to tell me where you went?" Rory asked pulling up to her grandparents' mansion. Emma rolled her eyes and got out of the car following her mother.

"Mommy, I'm going to tell everyone."

"Fine." Rory frowned and picked up her daughter. "Did uncle Finn make you help him pick up girls?" Emma giggled as she rang the doorbell.

"Of course not, mommy, There weren't any good prospects." Rory sighed and shook her head.

"Of course not." The door opened to reveal yet again a new maid.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm here for dinner."

"Of course, come in." They walked in and Rory set Emma down. "Can I take your coats?" Rory nodded, slipped out of hers and helped Emma out of hers. Once she was out of the confines of her coat she ran into the living room where they would have drinks.

"Grammy!" Emma said as she went and hugged Emily.

"Oh, Emma, darling." Emily said with a laugh. She kissed the top of her head, then Emma went to Richard.

"Hello, Emma."

"Hi, grampy." Rory smiled and kissed her grandmother.

"Hi, grandma."

"Hello, Rory."

"Grandpa."

"Rory, can I get you a drink?"

"White wine." Richard nodded and went to pour the drinks. She took her seat next to her mother. "Hi, mom." She noticed a glare was directed to something in front of her and then noticed three people sitting in front of them. One of them being Tristan. Lorelai turned and gave a weak smile at her daughter.

"Hey, babe."

"Hi, Luke. Mickey." Rory said as her brother came to hug her. Luke just nodded in recognition. He was never comfortable at these things.

"Hey, Rory." Mickey said.

"What, no flannel?"

"Mom wouldn't let us." Rory laughed and kissed the top of his head. Richard handed her a drink and sat down.

"So, Emma, what did you do today?" Emily asked as Emma finished introducing herself to the three people.

"Those damn Miss Manners classes sure did brainwash her." Lorelai whispered. Rory rolled her eyes.

"Good luck trying to get it out of her, grandma. She's like a CIA agent. She wouldn't even tell me what they did today."

"They? Who were you with?" Emily asked. Emma smiled and stood up on the couch, so she could look her grammy in the eye.

"Uncle Finn. He took me to the Zoo."

"Really? Well, the Hartford Zoo is a place worth visiting." Emma made a pshh noise and waved her hands as if to erase the comment.

"Not the Hartford Zoo, grandma. Uncle Finn says that the animals at that zoo just lay there and didn't do anything. We went to the San Diego Zoo." Rory sighed. She hated when Finn took Emma out of the state without telling her.

"San Diego? How did you get there?" Lorelai asked intrigued at the new information.

"Uncle Logan's jet, duh!"

"His company jet." Rory said.

"Yeah, mommy. It's his only jet. Anyway, we went to the zoo and he bought me this giant stuffed lion and a polar bear."

"Really?" Richard said. Emma nodded enthusiastically. "And then we went on those buses that have two stories. Mommy, what are they called?"

"Double-decker buses."

"Right, and they give you a tour of all the zoo. And uncle Finn saw this redhead and said that in college he use to fu…" Rory covered Emma's mouth before she got the whole word out.

"Forget to ask girls like that out on a date." Rory finished lamely.

"That's not what he said, mommy."

"I know, baby." Rory said. Lorelai was biting her lip to keep from laughing. "Remind me to kill Finn later." Lorelai just nodded and took a deep breath.

"Well, sounds like you had fun" Richard said.

"I did. Uncle Logan also gave me a lollipop and said that if I sat quietly for five whole minutes he'd give me another one. I got to four and he gave me one anyway." Richard laughed and Rory smiled as she sat down.

"Well, Rory, you of course know Tristan." Rory nodded as she looked at Tristan who had a face of amusement after listening to his daughter regale her tale of her day. "These are his parents, Stephen and Rebecca."

"Hello." Rory said standing and shaking their hands.

"How old is she?" Rebecca asked.

"I'm five." Emma answered. Rory rolled her eyes. She had Tristan's ego as well. If someone said she, she automatically assumed they were talking about her.

"She's beautiful." Rebecca said.

"Thank you." Rory and Emma both said. Rory covered her mouth in a playful manner. Emma licked her hand and Rory cursed the day that Finn taught her how to do that. She discreetly wiped her hand off.

"She's Tristan's, is that right?" Rory turned to Stephen and nodded.

"Emma is Tristan's, yes." Rory answered. Rory had told Emma stories about Tristan. She was always curious to know about him. She had given her his last name as well, but she was careful not to say his name.

"Then we want custody." Stephen announced. Rory's eyes widened and the Gilmores stared at him as well as Luke.

"Excuse me?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, miss Gilmore here has kept the knowledge of her daughter from my son."

"No, I didn't" Rory said.

"He told us he didn't find out till last night."

"I also told him that I didn't find out I was pregnant till after he left." Rory said.

"You made no attempt to find him."

"BULL!" Lorelai said. "Rory and Paris looked for a year for this kid."

"A year?" Stephen asked. "And that was suffice time?"

"Well, seeing as Paris and myself called at least five times a day at the residence we knew he was staying at, leaving messages saying we needed to talk to him and no one answered, yes. We also called your residence, Mr. DuGray, and even paid a visit to Janlan, who has in fact gotten to see his great granddaughter as a baby."

"Not anymore?" Rebecca asked

"He said that, as much as it pained him, he didn't want to see her until Tristan knew. But he calls regularly and Emma talks to him. Now, I told Tristan last night that he was free to visit her whenever he chose. I think that, after he left, he gave up all rights of having custody. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get going." Rory said picking up Emma.

"Grandma, grandpa, I'll see you next Friday. Mom, dad, see you on Sunday." Rory went to the foyer and grabbed their cats along with her purse and left. The nerve! Tristan sighed and got up.

"I didn't bring you here today to get custody of Emma, dad. I just wanted you to see her." Tristan said leaving as well. He grabbed his coat and left. He saw Rory getting Emma situated in the car.

"Rory." Tristan said she looked up and sighed. She shook her head and got into the car and drove off without a backwards glance. "Fuck!" Tristan said as he got into his own car.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Emma looked at her mother. She had never seen her this upset before. Her knuckles were white from gripping at the steering wheel. Emma sighed. She was a smart kid. Sure, she was five years old, but after growing up with the people she did you learn a few things. One of her uncles was a newspaper mogul. The other was a lawyer, the other an editor, another was a photographer. Her aunts were all big time, too. Her aunt Steph owned and published Elite magazine, a fashion magazine also full of gossip of everything happening with the young and famous while her aunt Paris was a doctor. Her mother was a famous reporter and that was just in Hartford.

In Stars Hollow she had an uncle who was a Music teacher and an uncle who was an author while another aunt was also a teacher and the other a housewife. Then her grandpa owned a diner and her grandmother owned an inn. After growing up five years with these people she learned things. She learned to listen without looking like she was. And this was one of those times. She knew the blonde haired man was her dad. And she knew from the way her mother told her stories about him that he had hurt her. She took a deep breath and turned to her mother.

"Was he my daddy?" She asked. Rory turned to look at her and sighed relaxing the grip she had on the steering wheel. She looked at her mirrors and pulled over to the side of the road. She turned off the car and nodded.

"Yeah, that was your dad." Rory never lied to Emma unless it was absolutely for her own good. Like when she had an affection for power sockets, she told her that if she put her finger in that, the boogey man would come and snatch her up. But these things, she never lied. It was too serious and they would both get hurt.

"Is he..." Rory sighed. She knew what she was trying to ask and smiled a tired smile.

"Going to be in your life?" Emma nodded. "I don't know. I hope so, Emma, I really do. But I don't want you to be upset if he doesn't, okay?" Emma nodded.

"Can we go get some tacos? This is the second time I've gotten pulled out of dinner without eating." Rory laughed and nodded

"Yeah. Let's go get some tacos." She turned the car back on and started driving to Taco Roco to get some dinner.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory was tucking in her daughter and sat down next to her, running a hand through her hair and turning off the TV.

"Mommy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you love him?" Rory looked down at her and smiled knowing very well who they were talking about.

"Very much."

"Do you love him?" Rory kissed her daughters forehead and nodded.

"Very much." Emma nodded and rolled over going to sleep satisfied with the answer. Rory got out of bed and went to her own room. Yeah, she could admit that she still loved Tristan. She never stopped loving him. But she wasn't going to risk her heart again. Not when she had a daughter to think about. She changed into sweats and a white cotton tank top, then went to clean up the mess they had made in the living room.

**_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_**

Tristan walked into the empty news office. He'd come at noon knowing that everyone would be at lunch and seeing as no one would go to a news office on a Saturday after noon except for his overachieving Mary. He cursed himself. She wasn't his... not anymore. He walked up to the receptionist office and smiled a charming smile. The lady looked at him with great distaste.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for miss Gilmore's office."

"I'm sorry, there's no one here by that name." Tristan frowned.

"She's this way." He turned and saw Logan leaning against the wall. Tristan nodded and followed him. "She goes by Leigh Hayden at the paper."

"She has a pen name?" Logan nodded

"She wants people to know her for her writing, not her name. Richard is doing good in the Insurance Biz and the Gilmore name is out there. She didn't want to be in the spotlight like that." Tristan nodded. They reached the door just as a brown haired man shot out of the room and ran past them.

"You better run, Finn!" Rory yelled as she ran after him taking off her heeled shoes in the process leaving them in the hall and running after him in her skin toned tights. People who were working stood up at the cubicles to watch the sight, cheering either one of them on.

"It's a weekly thing." He heard Logan say. He turned to see him pick up Rory's shoes and put them inside the office and leaning against the wall. "Finn takes pictures of the girls' nights out and uses them as blackmail when he wants something from Rory. She chases after him until she retrieves the camera. It's the only time she breaks the Gilmore rule of Gilmores don't run."

"I know that rule." Logan gestured to the office and they walked in.

"So you're here for Rory?"

"It would appear that way."

"You hurt her."

"I know."

"She doesn't like you."

"I get the impression." Logan nodded as the door opened and a blonde women walked in.

"They're rounding the corner. Finn's in the lead. Five bucks says she tackles him outside the office." She stated. Logan laughed.

"I'll take the bet and says she tackles him inside." The girl nodded and they walked outside to see Finn and Rory running towards them. Just as Finn was about to make in inside she tackled him. Half inside, half out.

"Finn, give me the camera." She said. Finn got out from under her and ran to the office. She got on his back and they landed on the couch. "I want the camera now!" Se said pounding his back with her fists."

"Oh, come on, love, one day."

"NO! I will not let you use Emma to get women! You've used her enough!"

"Then I guess the nice people on the internet will just have to enjoy these pictures. There is quite a nice one of you with a green mask on."

"Finn, if you don't give me that camera right now I will tell everyone what you did for the morning of Emma's fifth birthday party." Finn visibly paled and eyes widened.

"You wouldn't"

"Don't underestimate a Gilmore. I'll tell Patty and Babette, the news will be all over Stars Hollow within the hour. And Paris owes me a few favors, so I bet she can get it spread around the Hartford society circuit within the day. And don't forget I have pictures." Finn thought it over and sighed handing over the camera. Rory gave a triumphant smile and grabbed it out of his hand."

"Leslie, you owe me five dollars."

"Oh, come on, Logan. They were half in and half out. That doesn't count."

"The bet was that she would tackle him in her office which she did. Now pay up."

"Like you need it." Rory said as she deleted the pictures. Leslie rolled her eyes and handed him the bill.

"Okay, lunch over, back to work."

"Geez, you take this boss job way too seriously." Finn said lounging on the couch.

"Apparently not, seeing as I hired your lazy ass." Rory laughed as she handed Finn the camera. She finally turned around and came face to face with Tristan who was leaning against her desk with a smirk on his face. She stared at him for a minute, then crossed her arms over her chest looking down at her bare feet. She looked back up with a more determined look on her face.

"Leslie, do I have any interviews today?"

"No, schedule is clear. You were supposed to meet Mr. Huntzberger for lunch." Logan smirked.

"A meeting you missed." Rory rolled her eyes.

"I'll buy you a coffee and call it even."

"You're on."

"Good. Finn, I need the pictures for the Marshall Park Story."

"In the darkroom, drying, I'll go get them." He said leaving the office sending a glare Tristan's way. Rory walked over put on her shoes and went and stood behind her desk.

"Logan, I'll have the final copy by the time I leave today."

"Okay." Logan said with a nod not moving. She stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you need anything else, Huntzberger, or can I talk to Mr. DuGray alone? We don't need an audience"

"Kinky." She heard him mutter. She grabbed her stapler to throw it at him, but Logan caught her in time.

"Ace, down." Tristan turned and saw her hand clenching the stapler and smirked. "We'll leave you two alone." Logan said leading Leslie out.

"We will?" Leslie said. Logan nodded.

"Yes, we will."

"Leslie, hold my calls unless it's Emma or my mother." Leslie nodded as Logan closed the door. Rory sat down behind her desk and motioned at the chair next to him.

"Sit." She said putting her hands on top of her desk in a professional manner.

"I'm not a dog." Tristan said sitting down in the chair.

"No, of course you're not." She stacked her papers and looked at him. "What are you doing here, Tristan? Cause let me tell you, if you're here to give me custody papers you can shove them and take me to court, you're not getting my daughter."

"Our daughter." Tristan corrected. Rory sighed.

"Tristan, I never kept her from you. Me and Paris looked everywhere for you, so that you would know about this. Dammit, Tristan, we even went to your grandfather to ask him, like I said last night, to see if he at least had an address where we could contact you, but he said he had no idea where you were!"

"He wouldn't." Tristan muttered.

"God, Tristan, I never kept her from you. But you dropped off the face of the earth! That still doesn't give you the right to do this. You didn't go through 36 hours of labor, did you? You weren't there for the three am feedings! Dammit, Tristan!" She had jumped up in the middle of her rant and was pacing in front of him. He got up to stop her grabbing her arms, but she shoved him away. He grabbed onto her hand and brought her closer.

"I don't want custody, Rory." He whispered.

"What? But your dad said..."

"Fuck my dad."

"No, thanks." She said. She closed her eyes having walked into that. Nineteen years of living with her mom had taught her to never pass up an opportunity.

"Rather be fucking me, huh?"

"Tristan, stop." She said trying to pull away. He pulled her back.

"Look, whatever my dad said is a bunch of bull and you know that. You know from past conversations that my dad is a manipulative jackass."

"Just like you."

"That was low, Rory." Rory looked down. "But I deserved it."

"Yeah, you did."

"I want to be in her life, Rory. I've missed so much already. I don't want to be my dad, Ror. I don't just want to see her on birthdays and graduations or holidays and then be done with my parental obligation. I want to be in her life and I mean in it." He heard her sigh.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N.: _**Okay, I'm going to end it there! Sorry! Just thought that would be a good ending! Next chapter will be up soon!

Kassandra

P.S. REVIEW! PLEASE!


	12. Promises To Keep

_**PLEASE READ!PLEASE READ!PLEASE READ!PLEASE READ!PLEASE READ!PLEASE READ!PLEASE READ!**_

**_A.N:_** Okay I do read all of your guys reviews and I love them! I want to thank you guys for that! But I don't answer unless there's one that either bugs me and I should address it OR if there's a question that has to do with some information not given or confusion.(No, I will not answer the Where has Tristan been? one)

This particular answer is about a review that bugged me. Now I don't want to sound like a bitch. Cause I can handle _constructive_ criticism but as for the ones that tell me how to write the story...well it bugs. I received a review telling me that the realism of the story was no longer there. And there were some question about Rory and her grandfather and the Dugrays. Well let me explain.

_**Rory would not let Tristan near her daughter because of her own problems with Chris.**_

Okay I understand that. But then again don't you think that her having such a crappy relationship with her own father she'd want it to be different for her own daughter. Tristan is making an effort to be there for Emma which you will see in these next few chapters.

_**Richard would never let the DuGrays anywhere near his granddaughter of great Grandchild.**_

Again True. But I have my own reasons upon having the DuGrays there. And trust me Emily was not happy about the idea. You will again hear about this in later chapters!

You guys just remember that if things are happening and you ask "Why the hell is happening this would never happen in the show!" Remember two things. One: This is Fanfiction. A world where anything can happen whenever! And Two: I am the author and I have those things in there for reasons that will be explained later!

Look, If I sounded like a bitch. I'm sorry. It's not just the reviews that have been bugging me lately. Just one of the many other crappy things that are happening. So sorry to be taking it out on you guys.

I do have these things planned. So there is a logical explanation to why things happen the way they do in the story. And I mean come on. If I told you what was going to happen or why they were happening then what would be the point in reading it right? Right!

So sorry again. And please do not hesitate to review just because of my...verrrry long rant! I love hearing what you guys think.

Okay I'm done! On to the story!

Kassandra

_**Part 11: Promises To Keep**_

"What's going on? Why are we staring in through Rory's window?" Finn asked as he came back with Rory's pictures. He saw Logan and Leslie looking through the blinds. He stood next to them and looked in as well.

"We're watching them. Just in case she needs us to interfere." Finn looked back at the two people. Tristan was holding on to her wrist but not in a threatening manner, more in a stay in one place manner. Her eyes were downcast, she seemed to be thinking about something.

"This is an invasion of privacy." Finn said.

"This from the man that blabbed the minute he got a hold of a secret."

"When I'm drunk."

"Excuses! Excuses!" Logan said turning his attention back to the window.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory sighed. "What's going to happen when you leave again, Tristan?" She whispered. Tristan leaned down to see her eyes. He put two fingers under her chin and raised her head up so that he could see her beautiful sapphire eyes.

"I won't. I promise." He whispered back.

"You said that last time too." Tristan nodded.

"I know. And I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. I didn't want to leave, Rory. God, it hurt so much to leave you like that. You're beautiful when you're asleep. Even more so after we had sex." He saw her blush and he smirked. "But I had to."

"What? Were you tired of the situation? Or was three months your new max?" She asked bitterly wrenching her wrist from his hand. He grabbed it again and tugged her closer

"That was low, Rory, even for you."

"This coming from the guy that had flavors of the week. What, now it's a flavor of the month?"

"If it was you wouldn't have lasted two, now would you?"

"You bastard." She yelled pushing him away. He pulled her closer to him this time and held one hand on her hip and the other on the small of her back to keep her in place.

"And you love me for it." She tried to push away, but he had a firm grip.

"No, I don't. Dammit, Tristan there is nothing between us anymore. Just accept it."

"No, I won't. Five years of looking at our daughter. Remembering that night we spent on the beach. In my dorm room. I sure as hell remember that night after Paris's wedding."

"Funny, I remember the morning after. Waking up to a cold bed. You nowhere in sight, no note, no call, not even a cocktail napkin with a lipstick imprint of your lips." She said sarcastically. "Tristan, like you said I've seen our daughter for five years. And never forget those months we had or the pain I went through. I told you in the beginning that I could not handle another broken heart, Tristan, and not only did you break it, but you ripped it into tiny little shreds and threw it in my face."

"I didn't want to!" He yelled frustrated.

"But you did!" She yelled back.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Finn, now would be a good time to intervene." Logan said pushing him towards the door. Finn sighed and knocked.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory looked towards the door when she heard the knock, then back at Tristan.

"Tristan, let me go." He smirked and brought her in so that his mouth was right next to her ear.

"I'll let you go this time. But next time don't think it'll be as easy." He said releasing her. Rory stepped a few steps back.

"Come in." She said. Finn walked in holding a folder.

"Got your pictures, love." Rory smiled as he set them on her desk.

"Thanks, Finn. Hey, are you going to be able to make it to Stars Hollow tomorrow? Emma is the star ladybug." Finn laughed and shook his head.

"As much as I want to go I'm not able to, love. I have dates." Rory nodded.

"That's fine. Emma will understand. Logan, you?"

"Meeting." Logan said, then realized she knew he was there. She turned back to Finn.

"Thanks for the pictures, Finn."

"No problem, love. Wish Emma the best of luck for me." He said kissing her cheek and leaving the office. He closed the door and Rory sighed.

"You say you want to be in her life, right?" Tristan nodded. "Well, she has a dance recital tomorrow in Stars Hollow. It's the Fall Festival. I know she would love for you to be there." Tristan nodded.

"I'll go." Rory looked up at him.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Tristan, if I tell her you're coming and you don't show up she is going to be devastated and you will have one pissed off Gilmore." Tristan nodded.

"I'll go."

"Fine. You remember where the apartment is, right?" Tristan nodded.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Meet us there at six. It starts at eight, but I'm guessing you might want to get to know her a bit."

"That's fine." Rory nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow then." Rory nodded. He turned to leave when Rory called him back.

"Tristan, wait." She said. She went over behind her desk and sat down. "Emma had to get pictures done the other day for school."

"School? Where does she go to?"

"Chilton Elementary."

"Really?" Tristan said with a smirk.

"Yeah. My grandparents and actually your grandfather are chipping in for the tuition. Anyway, she's on the Chilton soccer team."

"They don't let kindergartners in."

"Our kid is smart, Tristan. She got that from my side. She skipped a grade. She's in first and she's in the junior league. Well, she had to get team photos as well as those shots by herself."

Rory handed him two wallet sized pictures. One was of Emma kneeling on the grass, one hand on her knee while the other held the soccer ball in the crook of her arm. She had a smile on her face and her blonde hair was tied back. She was wearing blue shorts and a blue, black and white checkered jersey with the number 23 on it.

The other was of Emma in a dance outfit. It was pink and pink tights with tap shoes. She had one arm curved over her head and the other curved by her stomach. Her hair was down and he could see the long blonde curly hair ended just above the middle of her back.

"She got the dancing one done in Stars Hollow. If you want, tomorrow I can show you more."

"Yeah, I'd like that." Rory smiled and gathered her stuff.

"I'm starving. I'm going to see if Logan still wants to go to lunch." She started to walk out of the office with her bag, then turned back with a small smile. "By the way, Tristan," he looked up at her, "welcome back." Tristan tipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Thanks." With that she left down the hall. Tristan took out his wallet and put the pictures in the front of the plastic picture book. He looked at a small picture by his license and smiled, then closed it back up and stuffed it in his wallet leaving the office. He had to go talk to his grandfather.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Tristan rang the doorbell to his grandfather's house and waited for the door to be opened. A few minutes later the door opened and revealed a small plump lady with gray curly hair in a bun in a maid's uniform. Her eyes widened.

"Tristan?"

"Hey, Mrs. Goldstein." He said as he walked in. Mrs. Roberta Goldstein was his grandfather's oldest maid. Time wise, not age wise. She had known Tristan as a boy. She smacked his arm.

"Where in the Devil's name have you been? Your grandfather has been worried sick!"

"I know. Sorry."

"Five years!"

"I know." Tristan sighed He had disappointed a lot of people in leaving. And he was going to fix that. "Is my grandfather in?" She nodded.

"In his study. I assume you remember where that is?"

"Yes, I do. Thanks." Tristan walked over to his grandfathers study and knocked.

"Come in!" Tristan walked in and saw his grandfather sitting behind his desk writing something. His grandfather was a short balding man and a bit big around the middle. The hair he did have were gray from old age. He wore slacks and a long sleeved shirt with a sweater vest on top along with his small reading glasses perched on his nose. He had always gotten along with his grandfather and regretted not being able to reach him when he was away.

"Gramps?" Janlan DuGray looked up at him. Shock was written all over his face.

"Tristan?" Tristan nodded. Janlan stood up and went around his desk to hug him. Tristan hugged him back. They pulled back and Janlan laughed. "Sit, sit." Tristan did as he was told and sat across from him in one of the chairs. "Something to drink?"

"Water." Janlan nodded and poured him a glass of water and handed it to him while he poured himself a scotch.

"Where have you been?" Janlan asked taking the seat next to him.

"London."

"London? What in heaven's earth were you doing in London?"

"Dad sent me." Tristan said. "I tried calling you, but the number wouldn't go through. Said the number changed."

"Don't be foolish, boy. Sixty years with the same number, why go changing it now?" Tristan shrugged.

"The number wouldn't go through." Janlan sighed.

"Have you seen Rory?" Tristan nodded not even mentioning that he had never introduced Janlan to Rory.

"Yeah, I have."

"So you've seen..." Janlan trailed off.

"My daughter? Yeah. She's beautiful."

"That she is. Rory sends me pictures. That girl's spoiled." Tristan laughed.

"How so?"

"Her illegitimate aunts and uncles are important people. Logan, a newspaper mogul! Stephanie Michaels, owner and publisher of Elite magazine. You're in business with Colin and he's one of the most successful lawyers. More so than your father. Paris runs the Children Hospital here in Hartford. And, well, Rory herself is a successful reporter. Emma is spoiled rotten by them! Finn Rothschild is a big time photographer doing freelance for the Hartford Times." Janlan laughed. "She has wings in the houses. Ponies, rooms, trusts the size of Vancouver. She goes to Chilton Elementary."

"I hear you're helping out with the tuition."

"The best for my great-granddaughter." Tristan smiled. "She looked for you non stop you know." Tristan nodded.

"I've heard. I've also heard that you haven't seen Emma."

"Didn't think it right. I see the pictures and I talk to her every once in a while. You deserved to see her first, Tristan. I saw her as a baby, that's all I needed to see to know, that she was indeed yours. Though I never once doubted Rory."

"I've only seen her here and there. Though last night I saw her when they went to the Gilmores for dinner. Made the mistake of telling mother and father about her."

"How did they take it?" Tristan sighed.

"I think mother is fond of her. Father demanded custody. Took me a while to convince Rory I didn't want that. I just wanted to meet her, be in her life." Janlan nodded.

"You made the right choice. What's your first step?"

"She has a dance recital tomorrow in Stars Hollow. Rory invited me so I'm going to that."

"That's a good start. She takes the bus home." Tristan frowned.

"What?"

"Emma. She takes the bus home from school. She's always complaining about it when I talk to her. How the other kids pick on her because she sits in the back reading and listening to music."

"Rory." Tristan said. Janlan smirked. His grandson still had feelings for her, that much was obvious.

"I'm assuming seeing as you never cracked a book open out of your free will." Tristan laughed. He could always count on his grandfather to forget his errors and make everything normal again.

"I cracked books open all the times, gramps." They went on like this for a few more hours talked about things and why Tristan went to London. **(A.N. That will be explained later!)** Janlan sighed.

"Tristan, I think it's time for you to go."

"Tired of me already, gramps?" Tristan said standing up.

"Of course not, son. But I'm tired and got an early day tomorrow. Will you pass on a message for Rory?"

"Of course."

"Tell her to feel free to bring Emma around anytime she likes." Tristan nodded.

"I'll tell her." Tristan said his goodbyes and left. He drove down the streets of Hartford to his apartment downtown. He wasn't going to screw this up. Not again. Not ever again.


	13. This Is How It Should Be

_**A.N:**_ Thanks for all the reviews guys! Keep them coming! If you want to see what's been going on with ...well everything check out my blog. It's linked to my homepage! Thanks and keep the reveiws coming!

_**Part 12: This Is How It Should Be**_

Tristan drove up to Rory's apartment. It was amazing that even after all these years he still knew where she lived. What her apartment looked like and unfortunately the images of her bedroom were making him curse. He parked his car in the apartment complex parking lot and got out. He had thought about maybe bringing something for Emma, but then felt like he was buying her off. He didn't want to become his father. That was one thing he was determined to prove to Rory.

He went to the elevator and pushed the button for the fourth floor. He was going to meet his daughter. Tristan sighed. He had a daughter. It was an amazing feeling to feel at the fact that he and Rory had this little girl. A person that they had to care for. Tristan shook his head. So far Rory had gotten to experience all that. She had gotten to see her grow up. He ran a hand through his hair nervously. Wondering if Emma was going to like him. Resent him for leaving. Know who he was. The elevator dinged and he got out walking down the hall towards her apartment. He raised his fist and knocked.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory stared at her computer screen. She was in need of inspiration for her article. She was halfway done getting all the things she wanted to say out when all of a sudden it stopped. Her hands were no longer working at her own accord like they usually did.

"Crap." She muttered bowing her head and leaning back. Tristan was due in a few minutes, maybe she was just nervous. She had told Emma last night that he was going to come with them to Stars Hollow for her recital. Emma had just smiled and hugged her. She said that she wasn't going to get too happy just in case. Rory just smiled and kissed her head. Emma was level headed. She knew when to push it and when not to. She was now sitting in the living room watching TV while doing her homework. They were waiting for Tristan so that they could order food. She heard someone knock on the door.

"Emma, ask who it is!" Rory yelled not wanting to get up just in case she found her muse. Emma got up from her position on the floor and walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" Emma asked.

"Tristan."

"Mommy! It's dad!" She yelled. "Can I open the door?"

"Yeah!" Rory yelled back. Emma unlocked the door and let him in.

"Hi." Emma said as he walked in.

"Hi." He replied. She shut the door and smiled up at him.

"So, you're my dad?"

"I'm your dad." Tristan replied. Emma nodded.

"Cool."

"It is, isn't it?" The phone rang and Rory answered knowing fully well who it was. She would leave Tristan and Emma to talk for a while.

"I'm blocked." She said. She heard a laugh.

"Sorry to hear that. Do you by any chance have the Marshall Park story?"

"Logan, I gave that to you yesterday when I left."

"I've checked my desk twice, even asked my secretary if she moved it. Threatened Finn five times to give up its location and it still does not appear on my desk.

"Please, tell me you're joking! I worked on that for two weeks!" She said.

Tristan looked around the apartment. It was the same as he remembered. The living room was arranged so that the main focus was the flat screen TV sitting on the mantel on the fireplace. The built in bookshelves held their DVD collection. That was on his right while on his left was the bar and the kitchen with papers scattered all around. Then down the hall he knew was Rory's room while next to it was her study. He assumed that the guest bedroom was now Emma's.

"So, what do you do?" Emma asked sitting on the floor. Tristan took off his jacket and set it on the couch as he sat down.

"I'm a lawyer. What do you do?"

"I'm a kid."

"I hear you go to Chilton. Do you like it?" Emma shrugged.

"It's okay. I have a lot of friends, but my best friends live in Stars Hollow and I don't see them a lot during the week. Just during dance practice."

"That's nice. I didn't have that growing up."

"What?"

"Friends."

"Mommy says you were the king of the school."

"I was," Tristan stated, "but the people I hung around weren't really my friends."

"I know what you mean." Rory came walking out the hall, the phone to her ear.

"Two weeks, Logan. I left it right there on your desk with the pictures. I remember because I was talking to my mom and then she got kicked out of Luke's cause she was using her cell and she started complaining on how her own six year old kicked her out of her restaurant... I know it's not hers. Okay, so it's not there. It had a bright yellow paper clip." Rory started going through the papers on the counter. She set the phone down and put Logan on speaker so that she could look through the papers better.

"Rory, it's not here."

"Emma, did you touch anything on my desk."

"I'm not allowed in there without permission." Emma said. Rory rolled her eyes.

"Did you?"

"No." Emma said.

"How 'bout on the counter?"

"Nope."

"Ace, you sure it's not in your filing cabinet?" Rory sighed. She grabbed the phone again and put it to her ear taking him off speaker. She walked back to her study and sat down and looked through her filing cabinet and went through most recent. She found a copy.

"I have a copy. You're going to have to ask Finn to get the pictures again."

"Okay. Give them to me tomorrow."

"You got it, boss." Rory said as she put the story in her bag.

"Bye, Ace. Wish Emma luck."

"I will. Bye, Huntz." Rory hung up and frowned. She was sure she put that file on his desk.

"Mommy." Rory turned and saw Emma and Tristan standing outside of her study.

"Sorry about that. It's hectic around here."

"Sort of saw that." Tristan replied.

"I'm hungry." Emma said. Rory nodded.

"Go call Tony, tell him we want two Gilmore Specials with extra cheesy bread and a coke. And tell him not to skimp on the cheese this time." Emma nodded and raced to the kitchen. Rory stared at Tristan for a while and smiled a small smile.

"You can come in you know." Rory said. Tristan leaned on the doorframe inside the office.

"Is this as awkward for you as it is for me?"

"More so." Rory said crossing her legs and arms. "What do you think of Emma."

"She's beautiful, Mar."

"She has your hair and your eyes." She responded ignoring the nickname. He shook his head.

"Both our eyes." Rory looked down, then back up and nodded.

"Yeah."

"What's her full name?"

"Emma Lorelai Gilmore DuGray."

"You put my,"

"Last name, yeah. You should have seen the look on headmaster Charleston's face when we walked in there and Emma said her name. It was pure and utter shock."

"The valedictorian and the trouble maker procreating."

"It's a disaster."

"It's a beautiful disaster."

"You guys talking about me?" Emma asked as she came back into the room.

"She has your ego as well." Rory said swiveling in her chair as Tristan laughed and saved her work. Hopefully her muse will come back and she would be able to finish the article. She turned her computer off and stood up.

"Em, show your dad your room." Emma nodded and grabbed his hand leading him to her room. She opened the door and Tristan finally understood why everyone said she was spoiled. She had a queen sized four poster bed with pink comforters with the word Princess written on it. There were stuffed animals everywhere as well as a map over her bed with little red flags of different cities and countries. There was a pink TV set up in the corner with the Disney princesses. On the side it had a DVD player. She also had a bookcase filled with books and a closet filled with clothes.

"She is spoiled." He muttered. Rory smiled. "What are the flags on the map?"

"Everywhere she's been." Rory said. Tristan walked over to it and fingered the flags.

"She's five years old and she's already been to Prague, Fez, Paris, Rome, Greece. Jeez."

"Uncle Finn took me to Paris, Rome, Greece and Australia. He wanted beer" She shrugged.

"Then Steph and Colin took her to Prague and Milan."

"And uncle Logan took me to Fez and Spain. He had a business meeting, so mommy showed me around." Tristan raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"Vacations, holidays. They take her. I go sometimes. Like when Logan takes her, when he has meetings I'll go. Finn doesn't do much at work so he has time to travel and takes her. Steph and Colin like to go away each year during the summer and take her along."

"What about you?"

"Me? I've traveled. When dating a Huntzberger for two and a half years you get to travel a lot. I earned so many frequent flyer miles in college."

"Did you join the mile high club?" He smirked. She matched his with her own.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Mom, what's the mile high club?" Emma asked.

"A club you will never ever join." Rory laughed picking her up and leading her to the living room. "Did you finish your homework?"

"Almost."

"Then go finish it. I'm going to show your dad something. If there is someone at the door, you know what to do and if it's dinner the money's under the duck." Emma nodded and went back to her homework. Rory motioned to her room.

"What are we doing here?" Tristan asked.

"I told you I would show you more pictures." Rory said. She went to her closet and pulled out some albums. She set them on the bed and nodded for him to join her. He sat down next to her. "This is Emma's baby book. My mom put it together for me and gave it to me for my birthday." He opened it and the first thing he saw was the ultrasound. He fingered the picture of the little baby form. "Mom took me for the ultrasound in my fifth month. She showed that to everyone in Stars Hollow."

"I can see that." He turned the page and saw Rory sitting under a tree with a very pregnant belly next to her little brother reading him a book. She looked over his shoulder as he flipped the pages. There were mostly pictures of Rory holding Emma as a baby or her friends holding her. Then there was a movie stub for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Tristan frowned.

"What's that doing in a baby book?" He asked. Rory smiled.

"That was the movie we were watching when my water broke."

"You're kidding?" Rory shook her head.

"I kid you not. We were sitting at the movie theater in Stars Hollow. The Oompa Loompas had just started their first riddle when, whoosh, my water broke." Tristan smirked.

"Only to you, Mary."

"My mom used to call Emma her little Oompa Loompa and dressed her up as one. Now, every year for Halloween Emma is one in memory of her birth. She loves hearing that story." She grabbed another album and showed him a picture of Emma in an Oompa Loompa costume with orange face and white pants. "My mom made that costume." She heard someone knock at the door and Emma ask who it was.

"Mommy, food's here!" Rory got off the bed and Tristan followed her.

"Hey, Tony." She said to the man standing at the door. He was wearing a black shirt and jeans.

"Hey, Rory." He said as she kissed his cheek and grabbed the food. "I don't know how you two pack it in."

"A simple task for a Gilmore. How much?"

"Emma's getting it." Emma came back and handed him the money. "Thank you, little lady." He grabbed the change and gave it to Rory who gave it back.

"Keep it." She said. Tony nodded, said his goodbyes and left. Rory closed the door. "Em, get the plastic plates and forks, I don't want to wash dishes today" Rory said looking for a place to put the pizza.

"Notice that we have a dishwasher." Emma whispered to him as she passed. Tristan smiled. Rory handed him the four boxes of pizza and cleared the coffee table setting everything on the floor. He put them on the table. Emma came back with plates and napkins along with cups, all plastic. They all sat down, Rory and Tristan on either side of the couch with Emma in the middle. They had turned on the TV and were watching some sort of TV movie. She heard Emma mumble something and Rory frowned.

"What, babe?"

"I said this is how it should be." Rory looked up at Tristan who had also heard and then looked away. This is how it should be. Not if she had any say about it.

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_**A.N:**_


	14. The Protective Town

_**Part 13: The Protective Town**_

Rory started picking up the half-empty pizza boxes and put them in the fridge.

"Em, go start getting ready."

"Okay, but you've got to do my hair. Miss Patty wants it up in a bun." Rory gave a nod.

"Grandma can do it when we get there." Emma nodded and ran to her room. Tristan stood and helped her clean up.

"Thanks." He said. Rory stopped and looked at him.

"For what?"

"For this, for letting me into her life, back into yours." Rory nodded.

"I let you into hers, Tristan. Every father deserves to know his child. No matter how much they happened to screw up with the mother." She said as she threw the paper plates away. "I just..." She sighed and looked over at Tristan leaning against the counter and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't want Emma to grow up with a father in and out of her life like I did, Tristan. I don't want her to have that false hope of you staying and just dropping off the face of the earth like you did."

"I'm not."

"Cause if you do." She continued ignoring the interruption. "Then I don't want you coming back."

"I'm not leaving, Rory." She nodded and turned back around placing clean dishes in the cabinets above. He walked over to her and turned her around. "I'm not leaving, Rory." He brought a hand and caressed her cheek. "God, I missed you so much, Mar." She looked away at the sound of her nickname. He brought her face back up to look at him. "I still lo..."

"Don't." She said pushing him back. But he didn't get far. He was still close to her. In her personal space. She needed her personal space. "Do not say things you don't mean." She said trying to get away from him, but he put both of his hands on either side of her, gripping the counter, trapping her in.

"Dammit Rory! I mean it. I meant it the last time I said it and I mean it now."

"You can't do this to me, Tristan. You can't just pop back into my life and expect me to drop everything and run back into your arms. Dammit. You can't tell me that when I'm still trying to decide if I want to say it back or not. You can't just expect me..."

"I don't."

"MOMMY!" Rory looked towards the room.

"Yeah?" She asked unsteadily.

"Where's my tutu?"

"Tristan, I've got to..."

"Next time I have you this close I'm kissing you." He whispered.

"Empty promises." She whispered back and she pushed past him and left the kitchen. "Did you check the drawers?" She yelled. Tristan blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair.

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Rory buckled Emma up in the car seat as she complained.

"I'm five-years-old. Uncle Finn doesn't make me ride in the car seat."

"Yeah, well, uncle Finn is going to get an earful when I see him."

"Neither does uncle Logan, or aunt Steph, or uncle Colin or uncle Doyle!"

"What about aunt Paris, huh?" Emma stayed quiet as Rory leaned against the van's door. Em mumbled something. "I'm sorry, what? I don't think I heard you right."

"Aunt Paris makes me ride in the car seat."

"That's what I thought."

"But it's not fair! Lexi doesn't have to and neither does Liz or Mickey!"

"That's cause they're six and Mickey's seven!"

"I'm turning SIX!"

"Oh, shush. You have to ride in the car seat. Any more complaining and I'm strapping you to the roof." She said closing the door before she could complain anymore. Tristan smirked

"Good authority."

"Shut up, Tristan, and get in the car." Tristan shook his head. She was warming up to him. He could feel it as she walked around to her side. Tristan got in and heard Emma start up again as Rory closed her door.

"I still say I'm too old for a car seat."

"Says the girl in a tutu." Rory muttered as she started the car and left the complex.

"It's a costume!"

"It doesn't matter how much you complain, the fact still is that Paris, grandma and grandpa, and I will always put you in the car seat until you turn six."

"I bet dad wouldn't make me sit in the car seat, would you?"

"Nice try." Rory said. "Don't bring your dad into this. Get a car seat." She told him. Tristan smirked and gave Emma a wink through the mirror, which made her smile. Rory turned on the radio.

"Can you put this CD, mommy?" She said handing a CD case to Rory. Rory nodded and put in the CD without looking and pressed 'play'.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. Uncle Finn gave it to me." Rory groaned. She really needed to ask beforehand. Before she reached the 'stop' button, Black Eyed Peas' "My Hump" came on.

"I'm going to kill Finn." Rory said pressing the stop button. She put on the radio and started the long drive to Stars Hollow. Tristan turned in his seat to look at his daughter.

"So what do you do?" Emma looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"In your free time, what do you do?"

"I dance and play soccer. I like to watch movies and read. Play with friends... draw..."

"You like to travel." Rory said. Emma nodded.

"I like going with uncle Finn the most."

"Finn's her idol. I swear, if she could have a statue made, it would be of Finn and it would be twenty feet high and go in the center of our apartment." Rory said

"Why Finn?" He asked Emma.

"Cause he's a kid. Uncle Logan only takes me when he goes on business and he's always busy."

"And he takes me, just in case he is." Rosy added.

"And aunt Steph and uncle Colin like lots and lots of alone time."

"And we wonder how they got twins." Rory muttered causing Tristan to smirk.

"And aunt Paris is really bossy and uncle Doyle is weird. Finn is funnier cause he takes me with him to work and stuff."

"Sounds cool."

"Very cool, he took me to the zoo the other day and we had lots of fun."

"She fails to mention that Finn is as fond of her as she is of him. But that's only because he uses her to get girls."

"Hey, uncle Finn is a very lonely man. It's not my fault I'm cute. It's yours." Emma said matter-of-factly causing Rory to roll her eyes. She pulled up in front of Luke's and parked. Emma immediately unbuckled herself form the car seat and shot out of the van before Rory could even turn off the ignition. They watched her run in and hug her grandmother.

"My mother knows you're coming, so does Luke. Not that they're going to ease up on the evil eye any. Word has probably spread so expect some talk when we pass." Rory said as she got out. Tristan sighed and got out after her. They walked into Luke's where Emma was sitting on the bar stool while Lorelai was putting her hair into a tight bun. Mickey was sitting next to her, drinking his milkshake, and Luke was coming out of the kitchen with a plate of food and sat it in front of his son.

"Fruit of my loins!" Lorelai said as she gave Rory a sideways hug.

"Hi mom. Hey dad. Mickey." Rory said ruffling his hair as she lifted him up and sat him on her lap. Mickey didn't say anything, just watched Tristan as he hung behind. As if he was sizing him up for his sister.

"How was your day?" Lorelai asked.

"Mine or Emma's?" Rory asked as Luke put a cup of coffee in front of her and also kept an eye on Tristan.

"Either or." Lorelai said.

"My daddy is here." Emma said not being able to keep it in much longer as she bounced in her seat. Lorelai stopped her hands for a minute as if stunned, then continued her work on the hair.

"Tristan." Lorelai greeted a bit coldly without turning. Mickey looked up at Rory.

"Is he Em's daddy?" He whispered.

"Yeah, he is." Mickey gave a nod and continued eating his food.

"Mrs. Danes." Tristan greeted back taking a seat behind Rory. Rory stiffened and tried her best to ignore the radiating heat coming from behind her. "How have you been?"

"These past five years? Good, and yourself?"

"Mom, cool it. Be nice." Rory said quietly. Lorelai patted Emma's head as she finished. Emma grinned and hopped off the chair and went to the window.

"Mommy! The Rally!" Rory smiled as she got off the chair and went to look out the window. Sure enough all the people were starting to gather around Stars Hollow High.

"Come on, let's get going." Rory said picking her up. She looked at Tristan and signaled for him to follow. "We're going to the rally." Rory said.

"Have fun. We're going to wait for Mickey to finish, then we'll see you at the fair." Rory nodded. They left the diner and she let Emma go as she ran off towards the school.

"They are pissed." Tristan said.

"What did you expect?" Rory asked crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Emma run towards the school saying hi to everyone she knew.

"I don't know." Tristan replied running a hand through his hair.

"It's going to take a long time for everyone to warm up to you, Tristan. Don't expect everyone to jump into you arms and welcome you home. Some were better off when you left."

"Were you one of them?" He asked. Rory turned to him and shook her head.

"Unfortunately no." She turned again and caught up with Emma. Tristan sighed and walked after her.

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_**AN: I know, really short. I swear the next one is going to be longer. It's just it's been a while that I've posted to this story ( I HATE WRITER'S BLOCK!). But it's better to give you a short chappy than nothing at all! Hope you enjoyed it and I'll be back as soon a s I can with a new chapter!**_

_**Also, I'm going to be posting a couples' history on my blog. Go to my profile, click on homepage and it'll take you to my blog. I'll have a link up for you guys! It's going to have all the couple names as well as the children names and how old they are and when they got married and how they play into the story. So I'll put that up once I post this chapter.**_


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